


Honoring All Who Served

by MsBrooklyn



Series: Assembly Line (or Why It's a Lot Harder than Steve Thought to Recruit New Members) [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Daredevil (TV), Spider-Man (Ultimateverse), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Young Avengers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-04-28 17:05:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5098463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsBrooklyn/pseuds/MsBrooklyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since his re-awakening, Captain America has been asked to speak during the Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.  This year, Captain America has been asked to bring Bucky Barnes with him.  There's just one tiny catch...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Public libraries sure have changed."  
  
Peter Parker looks up at Bucky Barnes and grins.  This is where anyone else would make an 'old man' joke.  Instead, he keeps it respectful.  Besides, Bucky _loves_ technology.   He spends hours on Peter's computer while Peter is at school and he's been devouring Peter's collection of magazines.  There's also a lot that Bucky learned -- or was forced on him -- while he was HYDRA's prisoner, their Winter Soldier.  "Good change or bad change?"  
  
Bucky looks down at the stack of books in his hand.  The titles are an eclectic mix of history, science and a couple of mysteries.  Bucky _loves_ to read, too.  "Good, except our librarians were a lot prettier."  
  
"I don't know," Peter can't resist teasing.  "That old lady looked like she was about your age."  
  
"Oh, we're goin' there, are we, punk?"  Bucky gently nudges Peter with his elbow.  "Here I was thinking we should go get hot chocolate or something now that you finished your research for that paper you have to write but since you're mouthing off--"  
  
"I was thinking we should go home and watch the first couple of Harry Potter movies," Peter interrupts with a smile.  "And I can make us hot chocolate.  With little marshmallows.  Just the way you like it."  
  
Bucky stops in his tracks.  "They made movies?"  
  
"Eight of 'em," Peter says, reaching up to pat Bucky on the shoulder.  "Now that you've finished the books, it's time to watch the movies.  You're gonna love the guy who plays Snape."  
  
"You've been holding out on me," Bucky accuses.  
  
"The DVDs are on the bookshelf in my room and you probably Googled it by now."  
  
"I didn't Google because I didn't want to read any spoilers."  
  
"Especially after the whole 'Han shot first' thing," Peter laughs.  "I can't believe you spent so many hours researching that."  
  
"I can't believe Lucas kept monkeying with the movie and changed it."  
  
"You and almost everybody else."    
  
Bucky makes a face.  "The new movie had better be good."  He catches Peter's expression.  "What?  You think just because I was born in 1917, I can't --"  
  
"I think," Peter cuts him off, "that you are the most awesome nonagenarian ever.  Even if you lie about your age and tell girls you're only twenty-nine."  
  
"Kiddo, you're askin' for it," Bucky warns.  
  
They both stop short at the sight of the black Escalade in Peter's driveway.  Happy Hogan is leaning against the driver's side door and nods a greeting.  "Boys."  
  
It doesn't surprise Peter in the least when Bucky protectively shoves Peter behind him and walks into the house first.  What does surprise Peter is the sight of Aunt May and Pepper Potts sitting on the living room sofa, drinking coffee.  
  
"Miss Potts wants to speak with you, Peter," Aunt May says.  "And to you, too, Bucky."  
  
"Please, May, call me Pepper.  After all, we're practically family, I think."  Pepper's smile is so warm, so genuine that Bucky visibly relaxes as he sets his library books down on the coffee table.  Her gaze follows Peter as he sets down his backpack and he's sure that she doesn't miss the way Bucky's cybernetic hand rests protectively on Peter's shoulder when he straightens.  Those sharply intelligent blue eyes linger on the cybernetic hand for the briefest moment.  "For the past couple of years, Steve has been invited to speak at Arlington for Veterans Day.  This year, the President has asked that he bring Bucky."  
  
Peter emits a whoop of joy.  "That's great!  You should totally do it, Bucky!"  His smile fades when he sees Pepper's face.    
  
"The President means you, Peter," she says quietly.  
  
Bucky's grip on Peter's shoulder tightens abruptly and then loosens when Peter flinches.  
  
"I-I'm not Bucky," Peter protests.  "I was Bucky for Halloween and yeah, the newspapers had a field day with it --"  
  
"Not just the newspapers, Peter."  Pepper tucks her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear.  "For the past week, you've been the top trending story."  
  
"Sure, but --"  
  
"No 'buts' about it," Pepper goes on.  "Spider-man's approval rating has never been higher and neither has public perception about James since the news about him being alive and the Winter Soldier became public knowledge."  
  
"That's crazy."  Peter's eyes narrow and it doesn't escape his notice that Bucky hasn't said a word.  "If the President wants Bucky, then he should have the _real_ Bucky, not some kid in a Bucky costume."  
  
Pepper's expression is sympathetic.  "Unfortunately, he's too controversial.  They're still deciding whether to call him before Congress or a military tribunal or bring him up on federal charges.  Not to mention the threat of possible extradition to Russia.  I'm sorry, James."  
  
"'S fine," Bucky says quietly.  
  
"It's not fine!  How could disrespecting this man who's been hailed as a hero for the past seventy years be fine?" Peter throws his hands up in frustration.  "And how is it fine to have a-a masked vigilante pretend to be him because it's a popular Internet meme?  What would Steve say?"  
  
If Peter's outburst affects Pepper, she doesn't show it. "Steve asked me to ask you to do it.  He's busy with the Avengers in Madripoor otherwise he'd have been here to talk to you himself."  
  
"Steve wants me to do it?"  
  
"I know it seems strange but if you do this, it can only help Bucky's image by promoting him positively.  And..."  Pepper's gaze ticks from Peter to Bucky and then back again, "Steve thought you might say a few words about POW/MIAs."  
  
Peter is reeling.  "What about what Bucky thinks?  Doesn't he get a say in how his name and image are used?"  
  
"Thanks, kid."  Bucky gives Peter's shoulder an affectionate squeeze and then directs his question to Pepper.  "I want your honest opinion, Ms. Potts.  Do you really think this will help me?"  
  
"I wouldn't be here otherwise, James.  And for goodness sake, call me Pepper."  She reaches for a garment bag that's draped over the sofa.  "Peter, if you're willing to do this, I have your costume.  I know you'd probably prefer to wear the one Mary Jane made for you but this one is an exact copy of the one Tony's father made for James."    
  
"Can't disappoint the President of the United States, Petey," Bucky tells him, unzipping the garment bag and peeking inside.  "Besides, at least with you going, I know somebody'll be keepin' an eye on Stevie."  
  
"Aunt May?" Peter asks.  
  
"If it helps Bucky, I'm all for it," Aunt May says firmly.  "I can't say I'm crazy about the notion of using a teenager as a publicity stunt in an election year but if you wearing a silly costume helps Bucky, then politics be damned!"  
  
"Language," Bucky scolds her.  
  
"Besides, you'll get to shake hands with the President," Aunt May adds.  
  
Pepper beams.  "Then it's settled.  We'll fly you down on Tony's private plane and fly you back the same day.  Thank you, Peter."  
  
"Don't thank me."  Peter looks up at Bucky.  "Bucky's the real hero."  
  
"Thank you, Bucky."  Pepper gives him an affectionate pat on the arm and waves as she lets herself out of the Parker house.  "Bye!"  
  
Bucky is the first to break the silence that falls after the door shuts behind Pepper.  "Okay then, let's watch us some Harry Potter."  
  


 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

  
Chapter 2  
  
  
  
  
It's mid-afternoon when Mary Jane Watson arrives at the Parker household and the impossible sight that greets her makes her stop in her tracks.  Bucky and Peter are watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and neither of them looks happy.  In fact, they're both scowling.  
  
"What's the matter with you two?" Mary Jane demands, hands on hips.  
  
Peter pauses movie.  "Nothing."  
  
"Nothing," Bucky echoes.  
  
As if she'd believe _that_!  "Did you have a fight?"  
  
"No," Peter answers.  
  
"No," Bucky echoes.  
  
She narrows her eyes at them and considers whether she believes their denials.  The pair are sitting close together and while they're scowling, they aren't sitting stiffly.  So no, they _aren't_ angry with each other but they are definitely angry about something.  And Mary Jane is sure what they're angry about is not Harry Potter.  "Well, I have something that'll cheer you both up."  
  
"Both of us?" Peter asks because he's been cheered up by Mary Jane before.  
  
Mary Jane rolls her eyes at him and pulls the tube of peanut butter cookie dough out of her purse.  "Yes.  Both of you.  In twelve to fourteen minutes, you'll have warm cookie goodness to take your mind off of whatever it is that's got both of you so grumpy."  
  
Bucky's gaze ticks to the tube of cookie dough but he doesn't seem particularly enthused.  
  
She sighs and pulls out her secret weapon and shows it to him.  
  
"Nutella?" Bucky asks.  
  
"Nutella," Mary Jane confirms.  "I found a recipe on the Internet."  She doesn't bother explaining that the entirety of the recipe is adding a dollop of Nutella to the cookie dough and folding it in on itself before baking.  "Now, if that doesn't bring a smile to your faces, I don't know what will."  
  
Bucky and Peter look at each other.  
  
She leaves them to their staring contest and goes into the kitchen to pre-heat the oven.  A heartbeat later, the boys follow her in.  Mary Jane focuses on opening the package of cookie dough and arranging it on the non-stick tray.  Mission accomplished, she struggles to open the jar of Nutella before handing it to Bucky.  "Open that."  
  
Bucky, having been well-trained by Aunt May, pops it open easily and hands it back.  
  
Mary Jane adds the Nutella, folds the cookies and pops them into the oven.  "Okay, you two.  We have twelve or so minutes for you to spill your guts."  
  
Peter cuts his eyes to Bucky who shrugs.  
  
"Don't make me tickle it out of you, Peter," Mary Jane threatens.  "And don't make me find out whether Bucky Barnes is ticklish."  
  
That earns her a goofy smile from Bucky and a blush from Peter.  
  
"Steve wants me to go to Arlington with him for Veterans Day," Peter says.  
  
"Like a road trip?" Mary Jane asks.  
  
"Like a... a mascot," Peter scowls.  His hands curl into fists at his sides and he looks as angry as she's ever seen him.  "The President asked him to bring Bucky with him and he didn't mean the real one."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Apparently, the real Bucky Barnes is 'too controversial'," Peter says, making sarcastic air quotes.  "But according to Pepper, I've got some kind of stupid cuteness factor that's going to help 'rehabilitate' his image if I wear the uniform."    
  
Mary Jane starts to scowl.  "And Steve is okay with this?"  
  
"He asked Pepper to ask me."  
  
"And how do you feel about that?" she asks Bucky.  
  
He scowls again and shrugs.  
  
"Pepper's not wrong about the cuteness factor," Mary Jane says at last.  "That photo of you and Steve is the top trending image everywhere."  
  
"I know," Peter complains.  "Even Jolly Jonah wrote an editorial about it.  He said I should hang up the webs and learn how to be a real hero from Steve.  It's just... it's disrespectful to the real Bucky Barnes, is what it is.  And how is putting a kid in a Bucky costume in front of real veterans supposed to not be a total insult?  I don't get why Steve thinks it's a good idea and he... he's making it worse by wanting me to say a few words about POW/MIAs."  
  
Mary Jane's gaze ticks from Peter to Bucky and then back again.  "You are the biggest pair of doofuses I've ever met."  
  
They stare blankly at her.  
  
"Don't you get it?"  She cuffs Peter lightly on the back of the head.  "That's Steve's big plan!  He wants you to talk about POW/MIAs!"  
  
"Okay..."  Peter rubs the back of his head.  
  
She blows out a frustrated breath.  "Who in this room has been a POW not once but twice?"  
  
Peter looks up at Bucky, scowl fading quickly.  
  
"And who in this room is a perfect example of why we shouldn't give up hope about finding our POW/MIAs?  That the government shouldn't cut funding to do it?" Mary Jane goes on.  "If you tie Bucky's story to other POWs, then you'll have something to say that won't have them throwing rotten fruit and vegetables at you."  
  
"You'd better be real good to this girl, Petey," Bucky says, voice thick with emotion.  "Because if you're not, you're gonna have to deal with me."  
  
Peter doesn't answer.  He's too busy kissing Mary Jane and he doesn't stop until the timer on the oven goes off.  
  
  
  
  
000000000000000000  
  
  
  
"How's the speech coming?" Jessica asks.  
  
"We're putting the finishing touches on it," Peter tells her.  "We've got two more days to get it perfect."  
  
She tugs her mask down and eyes him.  "What?"  
  
"What do you mean what?"  
  
Jessica rolls her eyes and gestures.  They're perched on top of the Dakota, looking down at the spectacular fall foliage in Central Park.  "You didn't bring me up here just so we could admire the view.  So, spill."  
  
"I have a favor to ask."  
  
"You want me to keep an eye on Bucky when you're in DC."  
  
Peter's expression of surprise is noticeable even under his mask.  "How did you know?"  
  
"I'm you, dummy.  And also, duh.  With Steve out of town, it's the perfect time to declare open season on the Winter Soldier."  Jessica snorts at him.  "Like Bucky hasn't figured that out himself.  He's probably stockpiled a bunch of weapons in your basement."  
  
"I hope not."  Peter cocks his head.  "So?  Will you do it?"  
  
"It's lucky for you that lawyers are workaholics and Matt's got a settlement conference on Veterans Day."  Jessica doesn't mention how disappointed he was that they weren't going to be able to spend the day together.  Or how disappointed she is.  "Also, I'm not grounded anymore so it should be okay."  
  
"He sure grounds you a lot."  
  
Jessica shrugs.  "He's still figuring out the whole parental responsibility thing.  I don't mind, really.  We get to spend more time together when he grounds me.  Besides, more than half the team got grounded."  
  
"Billy said his parents were furious that he didn't call to let them know he was okay and spending the night at his new friend Peter Parker's house."  Peter shakes his head.  "Been there and done that with the whole lying to Aunt May thing.  I know what Billy and Teddy are going through."  
  
"No, you don't.  You only know half of it."  Jessica shifts slightly and eyes him.  "They haven't told their parents they're gay _or_ that they have super powers.  One of those is stressful by itself, but both?"  
  
"So what can we do to help?"  
  
"Be their friends and make sure we cover for them."  She narrows her eyes at Peter.  "You invited them for Thanksgiving, right?"  
  
"I did and they're going to come by after they have dinner with their families," Peter assures her.  "Everyone's going to be there."  
  
"I'm looking forward to that," Jessica says, smiling at the idea. "If the whole DC thing starts getting to you, think about Thanksgiving at the Tower."  
  
"Why would it get to me?"  
  
"Really?  You're going to try lying to me?"  
  
"Okay, fine," Peter admits.  "It's still bugging me and I'm worried about Bucky."  
  
"Well, he's worried about you, you know."  
  
"Did he tell you that?"  
  
"Oh my God!  Really?"  Jessica blows out a frustrated breath.  "If it's open season on Bucky, what do you think it is when HYDRA knows Steve Rogers and Peter Parker are going to be in one place?"  
  
"Not even they'd be that stupid," Peter counters.  
  
"Two of the most successful super soldier experiments ever?  And that's not tempting?"  She twirls a strand of hair around her finger.  "And the other two experiments here in New York."  
  
"Where the other Avengers are."  
  
"Maybe.  They could get called away somewhere."  
  
"So what?" Peter asks.  "The After School Avengers aren't exactly pushovers.  I mean, yeah, we haven't had a chance to really see what Teddy and Billy can do since they were grounded for the past week but--"  
  
"But they won't be grounded while you're out of town."  
  
"Exactly.  And it's not like Kate's going to leave Bucky exposed.  She loves the guy as much as we do."  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me there, Webhead."  
  
"It does indeed, Webhead."  
  
They exchange high fives and Jessica pulls her mask up.  "Same time tomorrow?"  
  
Peter gets to his feet.  "Before we call it a night, how about we swing over and wave hi to our grounded team-mates? Y'know, for moral support."  
  
"Just what I was thinking."  
  
"Well, duh," Peter tells her.  "You're me."  
  
She rolls her eyes under the mask.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
  
  
  
Matt Murdock hasn't been a parent for very long at all but he likes to think he's not terrible at it.  Of course, he has challenges that most single parents don't -- and no, those challenges aren't that he's blind or the vigilante known as Daredevil.  His challenges all stem from these facts: his adopted daughter didn't exist six months ago, she is a female clone of Peter Parker and she is the teenage vigilante known as Spider-woman.  At least this week.  She doesn't care for the code name but she hasn't found one she's liked enough to keep.  For the most part, Matt's relied on memories of his father's brand of parenting, articles that he's read and more recently, advice from Peter Parker's aunt.  May Parker is one savvy parental figure.  She even manages to mother Matt.  
  
It's nearly eight in the evening when he arrives home from work to the sound of Jessica typing away on her laptop.  She could be doing anything from writing e-mails or instant messaging with the other After School Avengers to doing school work, which is why he greets her the same way he does every week night.  "Did you finish your homework?"  
  
"Yup. It's on the kitchen counter, waiting for you."  Jessica keeps typing away and then finally stops and closes her laptop.  "How was work?"  
  
"We picked up a new case," Matt tells her.  "Wrongful termination."  
  
"Isn't New York an at-will state?" Jessica asks, citing the legal principle perfectly.  
  
"It is but there are exceptions and this case falls into one of them."  
  
"Arguably," she teases.  "Otherwise, you wouldn't have a case."  
  
"Arguably," Matt agrees.  "Start researching what the exceptions are to at-will employment and we'll talk about them on Thursday."    
  
She shifts slightly and the soft leather sofa creaks softly as she moves.  "I was wondering if it would be okay for me to spend Veterans Day with Bucky.  I mean, he _is_ a veteran and also we thought maybe he'd be a little lonely with Peter gone.  Not to mention the whole Peter wearing Bucky's uniform thing is probably weirding him out."  
  
"Are any of the other kids going with you?"  
  
"Kate and maybe Teddy and Billy, if they're not still grounded."  
  
He notices she doesn't mention Johnny Storm and he's definitely noticed Johnny flying over Hell's Kitchen just about every afternoon.  The boy is certainly persistent, though whether Johnny is being persistent about Jessica, Kate or both, Matt has no idea.  Neither girl is encouraging him.  But that's not that point.  "And what are all of you going to do with Bucky?"  
  
"There's a parade in Queens," Jessica says.  "Bucky doesn't like crowds but that parade'll be a lot less crowded than the one in the city.  And we thought maybe we'd treat him to lunch."  
  
Not quite a lie but close.  Almost all of the After School Avengers might want to spend Veterans Day with an actual veteran but this _particular_ veteran doesn't remember much about his service and Matt doubts that Bucky would want to go to a parade.  What it sounds like to him is that the kids have an ulterior motive and it isn't because Bucky will be lonely without Peter.  Not completely anyway.  Matt employs a time-honored tactic of lawyers and parents everywhere.  "I see."  
  
Jessica blows out an exasperated breath.  "Fine.  We're worried that HYDRA or whoever might come after Bucky while Steve and Peter are in DC."  
  
"You know you could have just said that to begin with," Matt points out.  "It's not as if the thought hasn't crossed my mind or Steve's, for that matter.  He's asked all of us to keep an eye on Bucky without making it seem like we're keeping an eye on Bucky."  
  
"So?  Does that mean I can?" Jessica asks and the hopeful note in her voice is what makes him give in.  
  
"These are the rules," Matt says firmly.  "All of you wear comm links and stay connected to JARVIS.  If HYDRA or anyone else shows up, you get Bucky out of there and wait for the Avengers and for me.  Understood?"  
  
"Understood."  
  
He vows to own that settlement conference and end his workday in record time, just in case.  
  
  
  
  
00000000000000  
  
  
  
Barnes has the house to himself.  It's been two hours since Happy hustled Petey off to the airport and forty minutes since Aunt May took off for Atlantic City with Mary Jane's mother.  Today is no different than any other weekday when Petey goes to school and Aunt May goes to work.    
  
Except it is.  
  
Today, Petey is wearing his uniform and speaking at Arlington with Stevie.  
  
He's been invited to spend the day at the Tower but Barnes is every bit as stubborn as Stevie so he's settled into his favorite chair with a set of books Petey gave him to read.  It doesn't take very long for Barnes to get invested in the life of Katniss Everdeen either.  He's about to find out whether Katniss gets reaped when the doorbell rings.  
  
"Figures," Barnes mutters but it's not as if he's surprised by the four visitors on the doorstep.  They're about as subtle as a herd of elephants.  
  
"Happy Veterans Day!" Kate and Jessica shout, holding out a cake-sized bakery box. Behind them, the new kids, Billy and Teddy look awkwardly up at him and give little nervous waves.  
  
"Let me guess," Barnes growls, but without any heat to it, "Petey sent you to keep me company."  
  
Kate rolls her eyes.  "Well, duh.  Also, you're our favorite veteran and this is your first Veterans Day since you served so we thought it should be special."  
  
Barnes considers explaining that Veterans Day is supposed to be a solemn remembrance but the observance of the day has changed drastically since he was their age.  Apparently, remembering those who served is somehow tied to sales at the mall.  He takes the cake box and steps aside so the kids can come in.  "I guess we should have some cake and milk then."  
  
"It's never too early for cake," Kate assures him.  
  
"Would your daddy agree to that?" Barnes teases Jessica.  
  
She blushes.  "He'd probably make an exception in this case."  
  
Barnes gets out the cake knife and pops open the box, freezing when he sees the chocolate cake inside.  There, spelled out in vanilla icing are the words 'Our Vet' and his serial number.  There are four little American flags and a tiny Captain America figure in the center.  
  
"You've been a hero a lot longer than you've been a controversial figure," Teddy says.  "Billy and I don't know you very well but, uh, you've been a huge influence on us."  
  
"I have?"  
  
Billy nods.  "Well, sure.  You stood up for the little guy."  
  
Barnes narrows his eyes as he takes in the boy's split lip.  "Looks like someone needs to stand up for you.  What happened?"  
  
"John Kesler happened," Teddy answers for Billy.  "That's the homophobic bully in Billy's class."  
  
"And I can't use my powers on him," Billy sighs the familiar argument.  
  
"No," Barnes agrees.  "You can't.  Petey has the same problem.  This fathead bullied him before he got his powers and if he beats the kid up, they'll know he's Spidey.  Lucky for you, nobody saw you get bitten by a spider, huh?"  
  
"Peter gets bullied?"  
  
"Not so much lately."  Barnes doesn't mention the little talk he had with Flash Thompson a couple of weeks ago because even Petey doesn't know about it.  He grips Billy's upper arm and squeezes gently, not finding very much in the way of muscles.  "Kid, you can't rely on your powers to get you out of jams all the time.  Make a fist for me."  
  
Billy makes a fist and shows it to Barnes.  
  
Barnes shakes his head and positions the kid's thumb properly.  "We have some work to do, don't we, Billy?"  
  
"I-I guess..."  
  
"Trust me, we do."  He eyes each of them.  "I'm going to come up with a training regimen for each of you and we're going to spend at least one afternoon a week at the Tower sparring.  You may be able to handle muggers and purse snatchers but if you think you kids are prepared to take on HYDRA if they come after me today, you've got another thing coming."  
  
Jessica's face falls.  "You know?"  
  
"Well, duh."  Barnes rolls his eyes and then winks at her to show he was teasing.  "It's the perfect opportunity for them to come get me, isn't it?"  He reaches out and ruffles Teddy's hair.  "I appreciate the thought.  And the cake."  
  
It doesn't surprise Barnes when all four kids hug him.  
  
At this point, he'd be surprised if they didn't.  
  
  
  
  
00000000000000000  
  
  
"Peter, what in Creation are you doing?"  
  
"Putting on my mask," Peter answers and then hastily corrects himself.  "The mask."  
  
Steve raises an eyebrow as Happy steers the Escalade into the airport.  "Why?"  
  
"Because Peter Parker and Steve Rogers can't be seen together, remember?  So this mask is staying on from now until Happy or whoever picks us up later."  Peter folds his arms across his chest.  "And yeah, I know I look ridiculous but --"  
  
"But you think I forgot about that," Steve interrupts with a smile.  "And you're wrong.  You'll understand when you see who our flight crew is.  Yes, you'll need to be suited up when we get off the plane but you'll get to relax on our way there."  He eyes Peter, taking in the boy's rigid posture.  "And you do need to relax, Peter.  You're far too tense."  
  
Peter scowls.  "Yeah, I know, it's an honor and blah blah blah.  I just wish I wasn't being asked to make a mockery of Bucky for this 'honor'."  
  
"I doubt you'd ever do that."  And not now.  Especially after Bucky confirmed that Peter intends to do exactly what Steve hoped he would, which is to use this as an opportunity to speak for Bucky.  
  
The SUV comes to a halt and Happy pops the locks.  "If either one of you gets out before I open your door, so help me..."  
  
Steve raises his hands in surrender.  "Absolutely not."  
  
Happy opens the door and snaps a salute.  "You look really spiffy in your dress uniform there, Cap."  
  
"You really do," Peter agrees and there's no mistaking the look of hero worship on his face.  He gives Steve a quick hug.  "Thanks for your service, Captain Rogers."  
  
Steve can feel himself start to blush and then he blushes in earnest when Happy shows him the photo on his phone of Peter hugging Steve.  
  
"I thought you two might like to send that to the rest of the team and, uh, anyone else you think might want a copy."  
  
"Thanks, Happy."  Steve takes point and boards the plane first, freezing at the sight of Natasha in a skimpy Stark corporate stewardess uniform.  Clint is standing next to her and grinning.  
  
"Welcome aboard, boys," Natasha says, with a wink.  "Steve thought you might prefer a discreet flight crew."  Peter gawks at her and she cuffs him lightly.  "Behave, Bucky Junior, or I'll tell Mary Jane."  
  
"I can't believe Tony makes his corporate stewardesses dress like that," Peter mutters.  "I'm embarrassed for him."  
  
"You've just redeemed yourself," Natasha says, pulling a foil packet of pretzels from heaven only knows where and tossing it to Peter.  "And speaking of crazy outfits..."  
  
Peter looks down at his replica of Bucky's uniform and frowns.  "I know.  Believe me, I know.  I must have apologized to Bucky a million times before I left."  
  
"You know that he's not angry with you, don't you?" Steve asks.    
  
"And you look adorable," Clint teases.  "At least, that's what the entire Internet says.  There are blogs and fan fiction about the two of you now."  
  
"I have my favorites bookmarked on this StarkPad," Natasha says, handing the device to Steve.  "Apparently, Peter's not being legal doesn't deter some people and their vivid imaginations."  She winks at Steve.  "You might appreciate some of the more creative fan art."  
  
"There's fan art?" Peter moans.  
  
"Apparently, you're a naughty little Spider-Bucky who needs to be spanked.  A lot," Natasha tells him gleefully.  "Sometimes I help.  Or the entire team disciplines you."  She steers Peter into his seat.  "Bear that in mind when I tell you to buckle up before takeoff."  
  
"I thought unlicensed merchandise was the worst that could happen to me," Peter groans.  "This... oh my God..."  
  
Steve shrugs.  "Ignore it."  
  
"Easy for you to say --"  
  
"It is," Steve tells him, settling into his seat.  "Know what a bluesie is?"  
  
"Um, no."  
  
"They were comics --  _dirty_ comics about popular real life or comic strip characters.  Including me," Steve explains.  He leans closer to Peter.  "Which is a little ironic because I actually illustrated my share of them before I joined the Army."  
  
"Y-you what?!"  Peter gapes at him.  
  
"They paid pretty well and I needed the work," Steve shrugs.  "So this 'fan art' and these stories?  Ignore them or laugh at them.  It just means you're not as unpopular as you thought."  He taps the StarkPad and clicks on one of Natasha's links to prove his point.  What he sees makes him blush bright red.  "Oh my...."  
  
Peter snatches the StarkPad and emits a squeak.  "What the heck...!?"  
  
"That's a spreader bar," Natasha explains, pointing.  "And those are nipple clamps.  You look pretty happy about what Steve's doing to you with that paddle."  
  
"All this... in a week?" Steve stammers.  
  
Natasha drops elegantly into the seat beside Steve.  "Captain America and Bucky have always been popular but your little stunt on Halloween reignited the craze."  She taps a link.  "Don't worry, Steve, there's a small but dedicated group of Captain America and Winter Soldier fans, too."  
  
"I don't need to see that," Steve says quickly.  
  
"Me either," Peter agrees.  "In fact, I wish I could un-see what I just saw."  
  
"Guess your 'bluesies' were a little tamer, huh, Cap?" Natasha smiles.  
  
Steve rolls his eyes at her.  He can't say he completely approves of Natasha's method of distracting Peter but it sure worked.  And he also doesn't disagree with having Natasha and Clint as backup in case HYDRA tries anything.  
  
"Prepare for takeoff," Clint announces over the speakers.  "It's going to be a smooth flight to DC."  
  
Steve hopes like hell it is.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are about six months from the release of Civil War. While I'm deliberately avoiding AoU (mostly because I still can't figure out what I want to do with those horrible representations of Wanda, Quicksilver and Vision and also Clint's family), I think Civil War is something worth incorporating. The comics had some really good themes and ideas before they got mired down in the whole 'multi-issue event' thing. Anyway, this chapter puts us on that road but doesn't mean we're going to be dealing with it any time soon. So please, no burning me in effigy, okay?

Chapter 4  
  
  
  
  
Mary Jane is three houses away from the Parker house when a shiny red sports car slows to a crawl along the curb next to her.  The driver flashes a bright smile in Mary Jane's direction.  "I'll trade you a ride in this Porsche for one of those cupcakes."  
  
"I thought your heart belonged to Liz Allen, Johnny Storm."  Mary Jane shakes her head at him.  "Don't tell me you got drafted for Operation Bucky, too."  
  
"Are you kidding?"  Johnny pulls the car into Peter's driveway, hops out and takes the two large plastic containers of cupcakes from Mary Jane's arms.  "I volunteered.  I mean, it's Bucky friggin' Barnes."  
  
"Are you ever going to stop calling him that?"  
  
"Probably not," he shrugs.  "I'm a fanboy, just like everybody else."  
  
Mary rings the doorbell and Bucky opens the door and his eyes immediately go to Johnny and the cupcakes.  "Happy Veterans Day, you big goof!"  
  
Bucky hooks his hands under her arms, picks up up and swings her around, setting her down inside the house with a kiss to the forehead.  "Hey, baby doll!"  
  
Johnny stares up at Bucky, wide-eyed before thrusting the cupcakes at him.  "These are from Mary Jane.  I brought you red, white and blue M&Ms."  
  
"Word of your sweet tooth is getting around," Mary Jane teases Bucky and he actually looks like he might blush for a moment.  Then she notices that all conversation in the Parker living room has stopped and everyone is looking at her.    
  
It's the dark-haired girl who breaks the silence.  "Oh my God!  You're Mary Jane!  Peter never shuts up about how awesome you are," the girl says, extending her hand.  "I'm Kate."  
  
Mary Jane takes in the purple leather jacket and purple leather boots that Kate is wearing.  Sunglasses with purple lenses sit atop Kate's head.  "You're Hawkeye.  Peter doesn't shut up about how awesome you are either."  Her gaze wanders over to the girl standing behind Kate.  Or rather, hiding behind Kate.  "And you're Jessica.  We've met before but you didn't introduce yourself."  
  
"She's Peter's twin sister, isn't she?" Johnny asks.  "Why would she have to introduce herself?  I mean, I get that she lives with Daredevil for whatever reason.  At least, I think...  Is anybody else confused?"  
  
The two boys that Mary Jane immediately guesses are Billy and Teddy raise their hands.    
  
"We are," Teddy says.    
  
Jessica groans and buries her face in her hand.  
  
Mary Jane's mouth drops open.  "Peter does that."  
  
"It's a twin thing, right?"  Johnny winks at Jessica who buries her face in her hand again.  "So what's the deal?  Were you guys separated at birth or something?  I mean, I get the whole protective brother deal about him not wanting to let me know he has such a hottie in the family --"  
  
"Oh my God," Jessica moans.  "Would you just _shut up_ already?  I'm gay.  It's not happening.  Not now.  Not ever."  
  
"Then why do you blush every time you look at me?" Johnny insists.  
  
Bucky's eyes are narrowed at Johnny and Mary can tell that he's ready to jump in the second he thinks that Jessica can't handle Johnny.  It's that protectiveness that makes Mary want to give the guy a big hug.  
  
"I blush," Jessica says slowly, like she's talking to an idiot, "because if you had any idea what you were doing when you keep flirting with me, you'd probably stop talking to girls for a month."  
  
Johnny rolls his eyes.  "Why?  Because flirting with you is such a traumatizing experience?"  
  
"Because I'm Peter, you moron!" Jessica explodes, flapping her arms in frustration.  "I'm an illegal genetic clone of Peter that HYDRA made a few months ago.   That's why he never mentioned me.  I didn't exist when you met him!  So every time you flirt with me, you're flirting with Peter."  
  
Mary Jane has to bite her lips to keep from laughing at the expression on Johnny's face.  
  
"H-how is that even possible?" Johnny stammers.  He looks a little green, Mary Jane thinks.  
  
Jessica rolls her eyes.  "You live with Reed Richards and your sister and you don't know how it's possible?  Seriously?"  
  
"You're a clone?" Teddy asks Jessica.  "Wow, that is just so..."  
  
"It is," Jessica agrees.  "I have all of Peter's memories up to a point."  
  
"Which means we should be friends," Mary Jane tells her firmly.  "I mean, I get why you've been avoiding me when you visit but when you're ready, I'm here.  I want to get to know you."  
  
Jessica favors her with a nervous smile.  "Okay."  
  
Kate clears her throat.  "Well, we're one short for Operation Bucky, so maybe you'd like to fill in for your boyfriend, Mary Jane."  
  
"I don't have any powers."  
  
"You're dating Peter Parker and you just took down the Human Torch," Kate says, draping an arm around Mary Jane.  "Trust me.  You've got powers, chica."  
  
  
  
  
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"Stop fidgeting," Clint hisses.  "And stand up straight.  Bucky doesn't slouch."  
  
Peter blows out a sigh and stands up straight just in time for Steve to give him a reassuring pat on his shoulder and for Natasha to smirk at him and mouth the word 'behave.'  He suppresses a shudder and tries not to think about some of the fan fiction she showed him during the flight.   She's changed out of her stewardess outfit and into a business-like black pants suit with a wig of short black hair.  If he didn't know who she was, he'd never recognize her.  
  
"It's an honor," Steve whispers.  "You're going to take a photo with the President and his children."  
  
A warning glance from Natasha stifles Peter's protest that it's not an honor to shake the President's hand in his borrowed Bucky identity.  
  
"We're ready for you now."  Two self-important men in suits usher Peter and Steve into the garden behind the White House where there is a small throng of photographers gathered.  The President, the First Lady and his two daughters are standing there.  Clint and Natasha hang back as Steve and Peter are led forward while the cameras start flashing.  
  
"Good to see you again, Captain," the President says with a smile.  He turns that smile towards Peter.  "And this must be young Bucky."  
  
"Um..."  Peter says, blushing under his domino mask.  "Uh..."  
  
"We love you, Bucky!" one of the girls says, thrusting a stuffed bear towards Peter.  
  
He takes it and winces when he realizes he's just been handed a Bucky Bear.   "Thank you?"  
  
The next thing Peter knows, he's got a Presidential daughter on either side and the cameras are flashing non-stop while he plasters a forced smile onto his face.  Just when he starts to worry the ordeal will never end, it does and the reporters are all shooed away, followed by the First Lady and the girls.  
  
Peter gestures vaguely with the stuffed bear.  "I think they forgot this."  
  
"No, that's for you, son," the President tells him.    
  
"Uh, thanks," Peter says, feeling stupid.  "I mean, tell them I said thanks."  
  
Natasha comes over, takes the bear from him and swats him once on the behind before stepping discreetly back into the background.  
  
The President stares at Peter and then gestures at one of the self-important suit guys.   "Henry, why don't you take young Bucky here on a tour of the White House while Captain Rogers and I talk?"    
  
"Your security detail can stay here," Henry tells Steve.  "The boy'll be fine.  He took down Doctor Octopus twice on his own, I think he can handle himself."  
  
Peter nearly heaves a sigh of relief.  At last, here's somebody who is willing to acknowledge that he isn't really Bucky.  This Henry guy is okay in his book.  
  
Steve glances over at Natasha who nods once.  "All right.  Have fun, Spidey."  
  
"Yessir, Captain Rogers."  Peter snaps him a salute -- a proper one, just like Bucky practiced with him all week and it's worth it to see the smile on Steve's face.  He follows Henry through the garden and inside the White House and he realizes he's being led into one of the few rooms that aren't open to the public.    
  
It's a small conference room and Henry immediately shuts the door behind them, positioning himself in front of it.  His eyes narrow at Peter and any friendly feelings Peter had fade.  "The President wanted me to have a little talk with you."  
  
Peter's spider-sense isn't buzzing which only means that Peter isn't in physical danger.  He's pretty sure he might be in trouble anyway.  
  
"Did you like that photo op?" Henry asks.  "It must be better than being shot at by the police."  He chuckles humorlessly.  "Of course, how can you compare shaking the hand of the President of the United States unfavorably to being shot at by the police?"  
  
"Um..."  
  
"You can have that.  Every day.  All you have to do is keep being Bucky."  
  
"But I'm not Bucky!" Peter protests.  "All I did was wear a Halloween costume --   
  
"You wore a Bucky costume and you saved the people of New York City from a terrorist."  Henry smiles coldly at Peter.  "Oh?  You didn't know?  We're charging that Quentin Beck character with terrorism for that little stunt with the toxic gas.  His case just went federal."  
  
"Well, uh --"  
  
"All that amateur video of Captain America and Bucky saving the day is doing wonders for your reputation.  Why would you want to give that up?"  
  
"Because there's a real Bucky Barnes and he's still alive!" Peter explodes.  "And I'm Spider-man!"  
  
Henry's cold smile doesn't falter.  "Spider-man is an illegal vigilante.  Currently, Spider-man is violating New York State law but there is a bill being drafted that's going to make being Spider-man a federal crime."  
  
"Unless I register," Peter says dully.  
  
"Or we arrest you and have you prosecuted under New York law for your past actions as one of the first test cases."  
  
"I'm a minor."  
  
"Do you really want to use that as your defense?"  Henry takes a step in Peter's direction.  "Why not just avoid all that unpleasantness?  All you have to do is keep being Bucky.  The President thinks you can be the role model that kids are looking for, better than those teenage pop star junkie freaks.  You can get out there and talk about drug abuse, bullying, whatever and you can still stop purse snatchers or Doctor Doom for all we care.  But you'll do it in that uniform, sanctioned by the US government or you'll go to jail."  
  
Peter's spider-sense still isn't tingling.  "Who _are_ you?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry.  Where are my manners?  I'm Henry Gyrich and the President is soon going to announce that I'm the head of his Commission on Superhuman Activities.  That's going to happen just before we propose the Super Hero Registration Act.  After we get those pesky Congressional hearings out of the way, that is."  
  
His stomach lurches violently.  "What!?"  
  
"In about six months, give or take," Gyrich says, "it's going to be a whole new world, little man and you're either going to be our poster child or our cautionary tale.  It's up to you."  He pats Peter on the head.  "If it were me, I'd burn those silly tights of yours and change my name to Bucky double-quick.  But, that's just me being a good American citizen."  
  
Peter sucks in a shaky breath.  
  
"Shall we finish our tour?"  Gyrich opens the door and steps aside.  "I'll show you where the President signs bills into law."  
  
Civics has never scared the crap out of Peter.  Until now.  
  
  
000000000000000000  
  
  
  
  
  
"Cute kid," the President says as Peter follows the aide, Henry into the White House.  "You'd never know that with that crazy Spider-man costume he wears."  
  
Steve isn't sure how to respond to that so he remains silent but he catches the quick smirk that crosses Clint's face as he lip reads the President's comment.  
  
"You should think about keeping him as your sidekick, Captain." the President goes on.  "The public loves seeing Captain America with Bucky at his side again."  
  
"Yes, sir, I've noticed," Steve says politely.  He doesn't point out that Bucky was an adult or that Bucky was never his sidekick.  
  
The President eyes him.  "These are troubled times, Captain.  Our relations with Russia and China are strained.  There's continuing unrest all over the world and at home.   Symbols of patriotism are important.   And not just patriotism.  The boy can be a positive role model for all sorts of teenage issues like bullying and teenage suicide.  He'll do far more for this country as Bucky than he's doing running around in those silly tights."  
  
"With all due respect, Mister President, Spider-man's heroism --"  
  
"Vigilantism, Steve," the President interrupts.  "And therein lies the problem.  Spider-man is a criminal.  Bucky doesn't have to be.  All he has to do is hang up the tights and wear the uniform."  
  
"This is about the Registration Act, isn't it?" Steve asks quietly.  
  
"Very much so."  The President raises an eyebrow.  "He seems like a nice boy, Steve.  Do you really want to see that nice boy end up in federal prison?"     
  
"You'd prosecute a child, sir?"  
  
"Not if he's on the right side."  The President tucks his hands into his pockets and peers at the glass doors that lead into the White House.   Steve resists the urge to look but his enhanced hearing tells him that Henry and Peter are on their way back.  "It's just a uniform, Steve.  If he wears the right uniform and has the right name, that nice boy gets to keep right on saving little old ladies and cats in trees.  Why, I'll bet if you ask him, he'd rather be Bucky anyway."  
  
One look at Peter's ashen, masked face as he steps out into the garden tells Steve that Peter's had a similar conversation with the President's aide.  
  
"Think about it, Captain," the President says, clapping Steve on the back.  "We'll talk about it again soon."  
  
Steve has a feeling 'soon' is going to be too soon for his liking.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt's carefully constructed plan to settle his case is falling apart around his ears and it's all because Marci Stahl is working for the opposing law firm.  Everything has been a battle, from agreeing on a time -- confirmed now for ten a.m. -- to picking the location -- Marci's new firm, of course.  Still, he knows it's not completely personal.  If word gets out that Mutual Great Benefit Life settled this case, it could open the floodgates for other wrongful denial cases.  And Matt is no idiot.  He knows where to find three potential plaintiffs already.    
  
"Marci just sent an e-mail," Foggy announces, poking his head into Matt's office.  "She needs to push the meeting back until one."  
  
"No."  
  
"It's not like we have a choice, Matt. If we say no, then this goes to litigation --"  
  
"Fine."  
  
Foggy groans and continues as if Matt didn't just interrupt him.  "Where even if we win, they'll appeal and our client will never see a dime, which means we won't see a third of that dime.  Which means we'll spend _months_ on this case, even more than the months we've already spent for which we will not get paid.  And in doing so, we will forego _other_ paying cases because our time will be consumed with litigating this case which we will not be paid for.  And our client will be unhappy and probably sue us for malpractice because all we had to do was push the meeting back a few hours and didn't.  And why?  Because you're worried that the _Winter Soldier_ can't take care of himself."  
  
"I know he can take care of himself," Matt says.  "It's him having to watch over all those kids that worries me."  
  
"Most of those kids have super powers.  Including yours."  Foggy drops himself into the guest chair in Matt's office.  "And there's even one that can do magic.  Frankly, I'd be more worried about anyone stupid enough to get in their way."  
  
"But --"  
  
"Bucky Barnes would _never_ let anything happen to those kids.  He's like the world's scariest Cub Scout den mother."  
  
"Well --"  
  
"And the kids would never let anything happen to Bucky."  Foggy runs a hand through his hair.  "He's like a lost puppy they all adopted.  A lost, _abused_ puppy."  
  
"I'm sure he'd be flattered with your analogy," Matt says dryly.  
  
Foggy blows out a frustrated breath.  "You get my point, Matt.  They will all be fine.  Even without you there.  Besides, it's more likely that nothing is going to happen and they'll spend the afternoon having a Harry Potter marathon while you and I fight the battle of the century in a conference room."  
  
Matt wants to agree with Foggy but he also knows a jinx when he hears one.  
  
  
  
  
00000000000000000  
  
  
  
  
"Okay, Parker.  Spill."  Clint eyes the kid in the rearview mirror and Natasha turns around in the passenger seat to give Peter one of her patented looks.  "This motorcade is taking forever, so we've got time for one of your endless monologues."  
  
Peter just shrugs.  "I saw the President's office.  It was nice."  
  
"Wow," Natasha exclaims.  "You are the worst liar ever.  Even worse than Steve."  
  
"What did that aide say to you?" Steve asks.  
  
"That wasn't an aide," Natasha directs her look at Steve now.  "That was Henry Peter Gyrich.  He's NSA, Steve."  
  
Steve narrows his eyes at Natasha.  "You knew he was NSA and you let Peter go off with him?"  
  
"What was I supposed to do?  Make a scene in front of the President?" she shoots back.    
  
"Nothing happened," Peter mumbles.  
  
Clint snorts. "And you're still a terrible liar."  
  
Peter blows out a sigh.  "That Gyrich guy told me the President is going to appoint him as the Chair of the Commission on Super Human Affairs.  A-and I should give up being Spider-man."  
  
"Let me guess," Steve says.  "He said you should be Bucky instead or risk being arrested.  The President made a similar remark to me."  
  
"Well the joke's on him, isn't it?" Clint smirks.  "Your comm link in that Bucky suit is active and JARVIS recorded the whole thing.  We can release that to the media and --"  
  
"Escalate things needlessly," Steve cuts him off.  "Right now, registration is just something people are talking about.  There haven't been any Congressional hearings or any other steps towards making it a reality.  Believe me, I'm following this closely with Matt and Foggy."  He shifts in his seat so that he's facing Peter.  "You didn't actually agree to be Bucky, did you?"  
  
"No."  Peter scratches his cheek.  "But maybe it's not a bad idea."  
  
Clint suppresses a groan as the motorcade slows to an even more glacial pace as each car goes through security.  "Don't tell us you're getting into the whole sidekick thing."  
  
The kid pulls a face.  "What if we can get something we want out of the deal?  I-I mean, if they really want me to be Bucky, maybe we can get them to give the real Bucky amnesty and protect him from extradition.  Matt and Foggy could negotiate that, right?"  
  
"Bucky wouldn't want his freedom at the expense of yours," Steve says firmly.  
  
"Who says we have to tell him?" Peter counters.  "It's not like I'm not going to be a kid forever, Steve.  It's just a couple of years of wearing this dumb outfit and --"  
  
"Haven't we just established that you're a terrible liar?" Natasha interrupts.  "And James isn't stupid.  He'll know the second he finds out you've hung up the webs to become Bucky."  
  
"It'll be worth it," Peter insists.  "Even if he hates me for taking his identity."  
  
Steve sighs.  "He wouldn't hate you but he'd be very disappointed in you if you give up being Spidey for him.  As would I.  Public opinion is fickle and right now, the public loves the idea of Captain America and Bucky.  Tomorrow, they'll move on to the next thing and --"  
  
"And we'll lose the chance to leverage that momentum to help Bucky."  Peter folds his arms across his chest and the kid actually pouts.  
  
"I hate to break it to you," Clint tells him quietly, "but they'd never go for it, Peter.  They'll make non-committal noises about 'doing what they can' but if it suits them politically, they will hang Barnes out to dry after they finish using you for their own ends."  
  
"So what do you want him to do, Clint?" Natasha demands.  "Fight the entire government over a silly costume?  You heard Peter.  He's not going to be a kid forever and if he's Bucky, they won't come after him."  
  
"Are you telling me you're pro-registration?" Clint asks her incredulously.  
  
Natasha stares at him.  "I'm pro-anything that keeps me out of jail.   My record is almost as bad as James' and if they tell me I have to register, what choice do I have?"  
  
"This is America," Steve says firmly.  "You have the right to speak out against unjust laws and to engage in civil disobedience."  
  
"From my cell in Gitmo?  No thank you."  She turns around in her seat and focuses her gaze on the motorcade in front of them.  "We're almost at the front of the line.  You might want to cool it with the radical talk, Cap."  
  
It doesn't surprise Clint when everyone in the car falls into stony silence.  He doesn't think it will be the last time this topic has that effect.  
  
  
  
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Billy Kaplan is getting his first real lesson in super hero-ing.  He's with Bucky up on the roof of Peter's house, learning about how to create a nest and select vantage points.  Teddy is perched on the roof next to Billy, listening intently.  Kate, Jessica and Mary Jane have all been assigned the task of patrolling the perimeter.  Johnny is inside the house, still reeling from learning the truth about Jessica.  Billy almost feels sorry for the jerk.  Almost.  
  
"Are you paying attention, punk?" Bucky asks.  
  
"Sure," Billy lies.  
  
The look Bucky gives him says he knows Billy is lying.  "Prove it.  Where are the girls?"  
  
Billy thinks fast.  The perimeter is supposed to be a six block radius and when last he saw the girls, they were somewhere over to his right.  "Um... There?"  
  
"They're over there," Teddy says, pointing to Billy's left.  
  
"Good job," Bucky tells him and then gives Billy a serious look.  "It's just as important to know where your squad is as it is to know where the enemy is.  You don't want to accidentally shoot your own team, do you?"  
  
"We're not shooting anyone, right?"  
  
"Not today."  
  
Billy exhales in relief and he keeps his attention on the other half of the team.  
  
"It's not enough to focus on where they are," Bucky warns Billy.  "You need to be aware of your surroundings."  He rests a hand on Billy's shoulder and squeezes gently.  "Think about it like being in the hall at school.  You need to know where that blowhard Kesler is, right?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," Billy agrees.  
  
"But you also need to know what's going on around you.  It's the same thing."    
  
"Except we don't know what Kesler looks like today," Teddy puts in.  "We could have a team of Keslers."  
  
"That's why you need to shut up and look sharp," Bucky says.  His eyes narrow and his head whips to his left.  "Get down."  
  
The words have barely left his mouth when a paper airplane floats past.  It's followed by another paper airplane that zooms past so quickly that Billy doesn't realize his cheek has been sliced open by it until he sees the horrified look on Teddy's face.   Then he feels the warm trickle of blood.  
  
Bucky shoves them both down onto the roof and hisses, "Get inside.  Now.  I've got this."  
  
"Got what?" Teddy demands.  "What's with the paper airplanes?"  
  
"There's only one guy who's so good he can kill you with a damn spitball," Bucky says, pushing Billy through the window and into Peter's bedroom.  "He calls himself Bullseye."  
  
"W-we can help," Billy tries to protest as Bucky shoves Teddy through the window after him.  
  
"Wanna know the best way to help me?" Bucky winces as something strikes him from behind.  "Stay out of the way."  With that, he slams the window closed.  They watch as Bucky somersaults to the sidewalk below and starts to run in the opposite direction from where Kate, Mary Jane and Jessica are.    
  
"He's leading that Bullseye guy away from us," Teddy says.  "Are we gonna let him handle this by himself?"  
  
"Hell no!" Johnny is standing in the doorway of Peter's bedroom, fists on hips.  "I say we go out there and save Bucky's bacon."  
  
Billy winces.  "Did you really just say that?"  
  
"Worse," Johnny tells him.  "I meant it."  
  
"It's a good thing you're not in charge then," Kate says from behind Johnny.  She's slightly out of breath.  "Know who's in charge when Peter's not here?"  
  
"You are?" Billy ventures.  
  
"Damn skippy, I am," Kate smiles.  "After School Avengers... _assemble_!  Let's go kick some Bullseye butt!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
  
  
  
The cameras start clicking as soon as Peter climbs out of the car and takes his place at Steve's side.  Steve reaches out to needlessly straighten Peter's collar and then bends down to whisper in his ear.  "I have your six, son.  I promise."  
  
Peter blinks and has to squash the impulse to hug Steve because they're inside the gates of the cemetery and surrounded by press, dignitaries and military families.  Instead, he steps back and snaps the most respectful, perfect salute that he can and hopes Steve understands everything Peter needs that salute to convey.    
  
There's the tiniest hint of a smile playing around Steve's lips and a definite crinkling around his eyes as he returns the salute.  Naturally, the press and their cameras capture every detail.  
  
They take their place in the procession towards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier behind the President, members of the Joint Chiefs, the Secretary for Veterans Affairs and the National Commander for Disabled Veterans.  Men and women in uniform are everywhere and it doesn't take long for Peter to notice that the looks they are sending in his direction are decidedly unfriendly.  Not that he blames them.  He's not Bucky Barnes and he's a kid, not a soldier.  
  
Like most kids his age, Peter hasn't watched the wreath laying ceremony in full.  Or maybe ever.  It is a formal, military ceremony, done with precision and respect.  When the President begins the speech that some nameless speech writer put together for him, Peter starts to tune out until he hears the man refer to more than 23 million surviving veterans.  His gaze ticks up to Steve who is standing at parade rest, gaze steadily and steadfastly focused ahead.  Peter stands up straighter and listens to the rest of the platitudes about sacrifice and honor and pithy quotes about Francis Scott Key, John Steinbeck and the poem, Invictus.    
  
Finally, the speech ends and the procession heads for the Arlington Memorial Amphitheater.  Flags and patriotic bunting adorn the amphitheater and the place is packed with soldiers and their families.  Peter feels possibly more self-conscious than he's ever felt in his life as he follows Steve up onto the stage.  Steve subtly and lightly grips Peter's forearm when they take their places.  Peter settles into parade rest next to Steve and watches the President step up to the podium.  
  
Everything that happens afterwards occurs in a split second.  
  
The President takes his place at the podium.  
  
Peter's spider-sense blares a warning.  
  
Peter launches himself through the air to tackle the President and shouts, "Get down!"  
  
The podium explodes.  
  
  
  
  
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Like many of Barnes' memories from his time as the Winter Soldier, everything he knows or thinks he knows about Bullseye is fragments, snatches of thoughts.  He's not sure if Bullseye was an ally or an impediment.  Maybe the man was one of the few that HYDRA had him train.  It doesn't matter.  Everything he knows boils down to this:  Bullseye can turn _anything_ into a deadly weapon.  
  
Case in point, the playing cards he's throwing at Barnes.  
  
Bullseye can kill a person with those damned cards.  _Has_ killed people with them.  
  
But then again, Barnes isn't exactly inexperienced and he's been killing people at HYDRA's behest for decades longer than Bullseye's been around.  Not that he recalls every detail.  Not that he needs to, either.  The knowledge of what to do, how to defend himself and how to destroy Bullseye is ingrained into him.    
  
All he has to do is set the Soldier free. But first, he has to take the fight away from Peter's house, away from the kids and away from the quiet, residential streets of Forest Hills.    
  
"Where are you going?" Bullseye sneers.  "Are you afraid I'm going to hurt your little brood of brats?  The only one who's getting hurt today is your precious Petey and how bad depends on how much of a fight he puts up."  
  
A playing card lodges in the fold of Barnes' knee, stinging like a sonofabitch.  This is what he gets for not using the speed that the serum gave him so this joker could keep up.  He plucks the card out and sends it back towards Bullseye.  His HYDRA handlers would never have let the Soldier rely on gimmicks like using playing cards as murder weapons.  Still, Barnes' body is a very precise weapon itself and his throw is just as deadly as Bullseye's.  And as accurate.  The card slices a deep, painful gash into Bulleye's right arm.  His throwing arm.  
  
He pivots, ready to go on the offensive, location be damned, because Bullseye has done the unforgivable and _threatened_ Petey.  Barnes barely manages to get his cybernetic arm up in time to deflect most of the handful of glass shards Bullseye throws his way.  
  
Should have known the bastard is ambidextrous.  
  
Should have known those damned kids weren't going to listen to him, either.  
  
  
  
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Peter knows he probably has a concussion but the StarkArmor that Tony used for his Bucky costume protected the rest of him -- and the President beneath him -- from any flying debris.  The same can't be said for anyone else up on the stage including Steve, who is bleeding from a cut to his forehead.  
  
"Get him to safety," Steve orders Peter and it's immediately obvious who the 'he' is.    
  
Peter's being asked to protect the same President who wants to take being Spidey away from him.   He digs into the pouches hanging from the belt of his Bucky suit and hopes the President appreciates irony as he pulls out the familiar red-webbed mask and pulls it on over the stupid Bucky domino mask, followed by his web-shooters and gloves.  Scrambling to his feet, Peter tugs off the Bucky suit, scattering jacket, pants and boots behind him as he grabs the President with one hand and fires a web line to the roof of the amphitheater with the other.  
  
"Hang on, sir."  
  
The only answer he gets is a sort of dazed moan.  
  
And then Peter discovers the biggest problem of being outside New York City and in a historic cemetery.  
  
There are no tall buildings and a lot of open ground.  
  
There are also a _lot_ of soldiers on active military duty, Secret Service, and best of all, Natasha and Clint, who's holding Steve's shield.    
  
He grabs hold of the President again and swings down to his team-mates.  "Did anybody order a U.S. President?"  
  
"Very funny, smart ass," Clint says, handing him the shield and then addresses the still-reeling President.  "Sir, if you'll come with us, we'll get you out of here."  
  
The President takes a step towards Clint and then stops, turning back to look at Peter in his old spandex Spidey costume.  His mouth opens as if he's about to say something but instead presses his lips firmly together and shakes his head.  
  
Peter watches the President being led away and sighs. "Guess that's my last invitation to the White House."  
  
And then he hears the gunfire and panicked screams inside the amphitheater.  
  
He fires a web-line and goes back to work.  
  
  
  
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Steve wishes he had more time to think about how proud he is of Peter and his quick thinking but the day seems to be all about split second decisions and their consequences.  The President is alive but it looks like two of dignitaries he hadn't been introduced to aren't that lucky.  And despite the fact that there are military officers far more senior, everyone seems to be waiting for Captain America to start giving orders.  
  
"Get the civilians out of here," Steve barks.  He turns to his right and orders a highly decorated general to move the wounded to safety.  More orders follow, setting up a perimeter and, on impulse he orders everyone within hearing range to be aware that Spider-man is a friendly.  
  
Just in case.  
  
"Maybe you should be worrying more about your own ass, Captain."  And there he is, the nutcase responsible for this chaos.  The man is wearing some kind of skull mask and is wrapped in a white hooded cloak.  But it's what he has in his hands that's got Steve's attention -- a sword and a shield that looks like it's supposed to be an all-white copy of Steve's with a 'T' where the star would be.  "Or more specifically, how badly I'm going to kick it in front of all of these cameras."  
  
"Maybe you should be worried about the fact that Halloween was almost two weeks ago and you're still wearing your bed sheet," Peter says, kicking the man from behind and throwing Steve's shield to him.  "I mean, seriously.  Sheets should be changed at least once a week."  
  
"I've been studying you, Spider-man," the man taunts, pulling a thick length of chain from under his cloak.  He swings it viciously in Peter's direction forcing Peter to somersault backwards.  
  
"That's good because there's going to be a pop quiz later."  Peter catches the end of the chain and pulls, flying backwards when the man lets go.  He yelps and lands squarely on his ass, leaving an opening a mile wide.  
  
Steve throws his shield just as their enemy lunges forward --  
  
\-- and, impossibly, dodges the attack.  He also barely misses kicking Peter who rolls out of the way at the last second.  "I'm sorry, boys, but I've been unforgivably rude.  You should know the name of the man who's going to kill you.  They call me the Taskmaster."  
  
Peter snorts a laugh.  "Somebody actually called you that?  Did you have to pay them?"  
  
Steve yanks him out of the way, even though he knows there was probably no chance of him being hit by the Taskmaster's shield.  "Less talking, Spidey.  Focus."  
  
"Bucky's the strong, silent type, Cap," Peter protests.  "Spidey's got the gift o'gab.  And webs."  With that, he sprays a generous helping of webbing directly into the Taskmaster's face and bows.  "Your turn, good sir."  
  
"I told you," the Taskmaster says, peeling the webbing from his mask.  "I studied you, Spider-man.  And you rely on that trick far too often.  Let me show you one of mine."  With that, he lobs a grenade towards the stage where soldiers are tending to the wounded.  
  
"No!"  Peter leaps into motion, trying to snag the grenade with a web but he's too late.  It explodes loudly, sending debris and worse flying.  
  
Steve's heart lurches in his chest when he realizes the grenade was just a distraction.  
  
And then the Taskmaster starts shooting at Peter.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...wow. Just...wow. Just when I think people might be getting really, really sick of these stories the number of hits, kudos and comments simply blow me away. I'm absolutely humbled by your kind thoughts and comments and I'd especially like to thank those who recommended my work. I had a really, really stressful day at the office yesterday and you guys made me feel like a million bucks! Thank you!

Chapter 7  
  
  
  
Mary Jane is eating her words.  When Kate stationed her in Peter's bedroom, gave her a comm link and assigned MJ to 'liaise and handle information flow with JARVIS and the team', it sounded a lot like being moved out of harm's way.  Not that she had a problem with being out of harm's way.  Not really.  
  
But the kicker is that  it turns out that liaising with JARVIS is an actual _thing_.  
  
JARVIS accesses a crapload of information about Bullseye from sources that Mary Jane is sure aren't entirely legal and sends them straight to Peter's computer for Mary Jane to review while she monitors communications between the After School Avengers.  She could _so_ get used to this.  Details about Bullseye's background are sketchy and conflicting but he's somewhat of a braggart so there's a lot of information about who he's killed and how.  It's unclear whether the guy's name is Lester or Buster but there's no question that he's killed people with everything from toothpicks to assault weapons.  
  
Mary Jane quickly relays this information over the comm link to the ASAs and adds, "It doesn't say whether he's a super soldier or anything but I think he might be able to hold his own against Bucky."  
  
"Let's see if he can hold his own against all of us," Kate tells her.  
  
"I see them," Jessica says over the comm link and quickly gives her location before adding softly, "MJ, can you call my dad and let him know there's trouble?  I-I promised I would."  
  
"On it," Mary Jane promises her new friend, reaching for her cell phone.  
  
That's when JARVIS tells her what's going on in Arlington.  
  
  
  
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Clint knows about the Taskmaster.  More specifically, he's heard the rumors that the Taskmaster is SHIELD or ex-SHIELD or maybe just trained people for SHIELD.  Either way, there may or may not be a SHIELD connection.  But that isn't important.  What _is_ important is that the Taskmaster can see somebody in action and learn everything about them.  Photographic reflexes, the SHIELD scientists called it.  Pain in the ass, is what Clint calls it.  
  
He nocks an arrow just as the Taskmaster hurls a grenade towards the stage and lets it fly at the very second the Taskmaster starts shooting at Peter.  Clint can actually see the moment where Peter's predictive sense -- his spider sense -- kicks in and the boy's body twists at what looks like an impossible angle in mid-air.   Two bullets miss but a third doesn't and Peter hits the grass, bleeding from a wound to his side.  
  
Meanwhile, Clint's arrow _misses_ the Taskmaster's arm but succeeds in knocking the gun from the Taskmaster's hand while Natasha joins the fray.  As far as Clint knows, the Taskmaster's never seen Natasha in action until now but it doesn't matter.  
  
The Taskmaster uses a combination of  _Steve's_ techniques and what might be Peter's speed against her.  Natasha's right arm breaks with a sickening crack just as Steve goes in with a roundhouse punch and misses.  Clint fires another arrow --  
  
\-- and hits Steve in his left bicep.  
  
Just as Clint is about to try again, a group of soldiers join him on the roof of the amphitheater.  His friendly greeting dies in his throat when he realizes these guys aren't friendlies.  
  
  
  
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To say that negotiations aren't going well would be the understatement of the year.  
  
Marci and her client are making low-ball offer after low-ball offer because they know what Matt and Foggy do -- that not settling this case will ultimately lose them more money than they will make if they can talk their client into accepting a less than stellar settlement.  
  
Matt is well into what he would call a persuasive argument and what Foggy will later call a tirade when his cell phone announces that Karen is calling for the fourth time in two minutes.  
  
"Should we take a short recess?" Marci suggests insincerely.  "Seems like somebody really needs to talk to you, Matthew."  
  
Matt is about to tell her where she can shove her short recess -- professionally and politely, of course --- when his cell phone announces that Mary Jane is trying to call him.    
  
"I've got this," Foggy assures him.  
  
"You sure do, Foggy-bear," Marci agrees.  
  
"I'm counting on you," Matt says, grabbing his briefcase, " _Foggy-bear_."  
  
  
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The great thing about Forest Hills and its surrounding areas, Kate thinks, is that there are plenty of tall apartment buildings where a master archer can find a perfect vantage point.   This particular six story Tudor style building not only gives her a perfect view of what looks like an epic fight between Bucky and Bullseye but its gabled roof provides plenty of cover, too.  
  
"They're really going at it," Kate murmurs.  "I had no idea Bucky was carrying that many weapons."  
  
Jessica perches on the roof beside her.  "I don't like seeing him get hurt."  
  
"He's giving as good as he's getting," Kate points out.  "And he's not going to be fighting by himself for long.  First wave ready?"  
  
"First wave ready," comes the reply over the comm link.  
  
"First wave go," she orders and then grins at Jessica as she nocks an arrow.  "Bullseye isn't going to know what hit him."  
  
  
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The old adage 'never bring a knife to a gunfight' does not apply to a fight with Bullseye.    
  
Barnes is armed with three different guns and six different knives, along with a few other surprises tucked into his clothing.  He's also got the deadliest weapon of all attached to his left shoulder.  Weapons are Bullseye's specialty.  What _isn't_ Bullseye's specialty is hand-to-hand combat.  Sure, the guy can fight but his fists are not the deadly weapons that everything else around him is.  
  
Barnes is about to press his advantage when he's kicked with a razor tipped boot that misses his femoral artery by a fraction of an inch.  The attack forces him to do the one thing he doesn't want to do -- give Bullseye space.  
  
An arrow narrowly misses Bullsye's shoulder, imbedding itself in the tree behind him and putting more distance between Barnes and Bullseye.  "Ha! You missed, girlie!"  
  
Kate never misses.  
  
Barnes gets the message and hangs back.  If the kids want to play, he'll let them.  Best way for them to learn, really.  Besides, he's going to make sure none of them have the slightest chance of getting hurt.  
  
Bullseye brandishes a playing card.  "Queen of Hearts, asshole.  Hawkgirl's dead."  
  
Just as the playing card leaves Bullseye's fingers, it's incinerated by a wall of flame that turns into a ring of fire, surrounding the assassin.  "Gotcha!" Johnny crows.  
  
Barnes only thinks it but Bullseye says it out loud, "Stupid kid."  And then the bastard throws a grenade at the Human Torch.  
  
Not at.  
  
Near.  
  
The concussive force of the explosion is all it takes for Johnny to lose focus and extinguish his flame.  Jessica swoops in and catches the kid before he can crash to the sidewalk and Barnes lunges forward just in time to prevent Bullseye from throwing God-knows-what at the girl.  
  
"Aww, how cute," Bullseye croons.  "All of Bucky's babies are coming to his rescue."  
  
"Some of us are fully grown."  Steve steps out from behind Bullseye and hits him.  Hard.  
  
Barnes _knows_ that can't be Stevie.  Steve is in DC.  But...  No.  It's not Steve.  There's no shield and Steve would never leave himself wide open to attack like that.  And God, Bullseye is taking advantage of that opening.  His kunai flashes through the air ---  
  
\-- and bounces off as Teddy's appearance shifts into something unfamiliar.  Something massive and muscular and _green_ , with Teddy's face and large hands that have clawed fingers.  Teddy swats Bullseye and sends him flying backwards to crash into a parked Cadillac.  
  
"I know," Billy says, materializing next to Bucky.  "My boyfriend is amazing."  
  
"He's sloppy," Barnes says.  Not that it matters.  Nothing Bullseye does can pierce Teddy's skin.  None of Bullseye's blows seem to hurt the boy and Teddy is not only strong but he's fast.  He starts pummeling Bullseye and not giving him a chance to recover.  "Strong, but sloppy."  
  
"We just saved your skin and that's all you can say?" Billy asks.  
  
"You think I didn't have this under control?"  Barnes eyes the kid, taking in the black bodysuit, boots, red cape and headband.  He immediately recognizes Kate's influence at work.  "Enough screwing around, Hulkling.  Finish him off."  
  
"Like, kill him?" Teddy asks and then the boy does the dumbest thing in the world.  He takes his eyes off of Bullseye.  
  
It's all the opening Bullseye needs to slip past the kid.  
  
Not that it matters.  
  
A blinding blue-white light envelops Bullseye ---  
  
\-- and he disappears.  
  
"What the hell did you just do, Wiccan?"  Barnes turns to scold Billy and then he sees Billy's face.  The boy is ashen.  
  
"Peter's been shot," Billy says.  "And Steve's in trouble."  
  
"ASAs assemble!" Barnes orders and to his relief, Jessica swoops in carrying Kate.  Johnny and Teddy take their places next to Billy.  All of them look worried as Barnes narrows his eyes and considers each kid in turn.  They may not be the Howling Commandos or the Avengers but they just took down one of the deadliest assassins on the planet.   Maybe.   "Wiccan, get us to Arlington.  Now!"  
  
He barely has time to remember that the saint he's thinking he should be praying to is Saint Jude when everything goes white.  
  
  
  
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"What.  The.  Fuck."  
  
Bullseye blinks.  Then he rubs his eyes.  
  
No, it's not his imagination.  The air is definitely thinner and wherever he is, there's snow on the ground.  Real snow.  This isn't some crappy mutant illusion or whatever.  There's snow on the ground.  The air is thin and it's cold.  
  
He starts walking.  
  
And walking.  
  
And walking.  
  
Two hours of freezing his balls off later, he finds a team of climbers and asks where the hell he is.  And is floored when they tell him.  
  
Bullseye has no idea which of Barnes' brats sent him to the top of Mount Everest but he's going to find out and they will _all_ pay.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's how you end up with two chapters in one day. You start with your fabulous author-person having to be on a conference call at 5am where she has to actually *participate*. And then your author-person ends her workday and crashes sometime around 4pm. Waking up all refreshed from her nap, she starts to think about the next chapter and... Well, here it is. Enjoy!

Chapter 8  
  
  
  
Shock is a lovely thing.  Shock means that Natasha doesn't have to feel the pain of what she is sure is a compound fracture for at least another ten to twenty minutes.  That gives her the luxury of cradling her injured arm close to her body while she goes to check on Peter.   A glance over in Steve's direction shows that he's struggling to subdue the Taskmaster, despite his superior strength.  
  
It doesn't surprise her.  She's come across the Taskmaster and some of the people he's trained before.  The guy is good.  
  
Natasha reaches Peter in time to see that while the wound doesn't look great, it's from a small calibre weapon and the bullet probably bounced off a rib.  It's still bleeding and she's sure it hurts like hell because Peter sits up with a loud moan.  And then he surprises the hell out of her by using his webbing to close the wound.  His head tilts up in her direction and the movement is jerky and exaggerated.  
  
Peter has been drugged.  
  
She gingerly crouches next to him.  "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Ouchie.  Bet that hurts," Peter slurs, pointing at her arm.  "Hold still, I'm gonna make you a sling."  He raises a shaky hand.  "Make sure you're comfy because this stuff has the ten...ten... It's stronger than friggin' steel, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Natasha agrees and concludes that Peter is feeling no pain whatsoever.  She's sure he's probably supposed to be unconscious or completely pliant instead of sweet and goofy.  And of course, talkative.  Peter is _always_ talkative.  "Go ahead."  
  
Despite being higher than a kite, he manages to make a good sturdy sling.  "I can't believe that dope shot me.  That's the first time a bad guy ever shot me."  He looks down at the webbed-over wound and then says sadly, "I got shot by a police officer last time."  Peter's masked head raises slightly, a webbed wounded-puppy look if ever Natasha's seen one.  "Don't tell Bucky, okay?  He's gonna chain me up in the basement and not let me leave the house 'til I'm, like, thirty for getting shot _this_ time."  
  
Natasha opens her mouth to answer and then the little perv tackles her.  
  
No.  
  
Not a little perv.  
  
Little hero.  
  
Little hero who just tore open his makeshift bandage to prevent her from getting shot.  
  
Needlessly, of course.  But it's a sweet gesture all the same.  
  
She tugs him up with her but they're outside of the damn amphitheater and there's no cover whatsoever.  They need to get to the outer edges, where there are nice big columns to give them sufficient cover.  
  
"I hate being shot at," Peter complains, picking up a cracked video camera bearing a network news logo.  He jerks his head in the direction of a set of columns to their left.  "'S comin' from over there, right?"

"Pet --"  
  
"Spidey.   Always Spidey when we're in the field.  I also answer to 'hey you'."  With that, he throws the camera with the kind of force she's seen Steve use when he hurls his shield.  There's a loud crash and the sniper falls off the top of the column.  He nods, satisfied.  "Sorry.  You wanted to tell me something?"  
  
"You're bleeding, Spidey."  Natasha points to his wound.  
  
"Oh."  Peter webs his wound shut again and when he looks up at her, his head cocks to one side.  "Matt's too chicken to ask you out so I'm gonna do it."  
  
" _You're_ going to ask me out?"  Okay, she knows they're in the middle of a battle here but drugged Peter is too adorable for words.  And Natasha _rarely_ uses words like adorable.  "Aren't you a little young for me, _Spidey_?"    
  
Despite the mask, Peter actually manages to look offended.  "Not me!  I have a Mary Jane.  Matt needs a Mary Jane.  So, I'm asking for Matt.  Will you go out with Matt and be his Mary Jane?"    
  
"I'll think about it."  
  
"Aw, c'mon.  Matt's a great guy," Peter wheedles.  " _Pleeeeeaaaaase_?"  
  
"All right," Natasha relents.  It's not like Peter is going to remember this drugged conversation and tell Matt about it anyway.  "Now be a good Spidey and help me find Clint."  
  
"Oh!  Clint!  He's up there."  Peter points to the highest point of the amphitheater roof.  "A sniper always picks the position with the best vantage point."  He turns to her.  "Bucky taught me that.  The _real_ Bucky, I mean."  
  
"I figured," she says, dryly.  "Come on, let's go back up Clint."  
  
"Huh."    
  
"What?"  
  
"Who're those guys up there with him?"  
  
Natasha's eyes narrow.  "They're the bad guys, Pe- uh, Spidey.  Get us up there now!"  
  
He starts to reach for her and then pulls back.  "Uh, maybe _you_ should grab onto me."  
  
Natasha hooks her good arm around him and wraps her legs around his waist.  "This doesn't mean I'm dumping Matt for you."  
  
"And don't tell Mary Jane we did this either."  With that, Peter fires a web line and launches them skyward.  "She's even scarier than you are when she's jealous."  
  
  
  
  
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As furious as Steve is, he feels the slightest bit of relief when he sees Natasha coax Peter to safety.  Now he can focus on the Taskmaster.  The man is skilled, no doubt about it.  And he's armed to the teeth.  But he's not a super soldier and he doesn't have Steve's strength or endurance.  
  
Unfortunately, what he has is a team of six garishly costumed thugs.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," the Taskmaster gloats.  "I forgot to mention that in addition to being a student of my enemies' skills, I also _teach_ those skills to my students.  So not only do I know all about you and your precious Avengers, so do _they_!"  
  
It figures.    
  
"And while you're busy with them, I'll go finish what I started with little Spidey-Bucky-boy.  He only needs to be breathing when I hand him over.  That's a _lot_ of leeway, isn't it, Cap?"  The Taskmaster dodges yet another of Steve's blows and manages to land one of his own.  "They tell me he's going to follow in big Bucky's footsteps.  Maybe I ought to do something about his left arm so he can be just like his hero.  What do you think?"  
  
"I think," Steve grates, "that _nothing_ about you is original."  With that, he _finally_ lands a kick and sends the Taskmaster flying backwards.  
  
Of course, that's when the Taskmaster's team attacks.  
  
It's just like sparring with the Avengers.  If his team mates were out to kill him, that is.  
  
Thankfully, none of them has Tony's armor, Bruce's anger issues or Thor's hammer.  
  
All they have is technique and they're all only human.  
  
Steve can do this all day.  
  
But he's going to wrap it up quickly and then he's going to show the Taskmaster a few new moves.  
  
  
  
  
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There are times when being a blind vigilante completely sucks.  The worst -- obviously -- are those times when the police are chasing or shooting at him.  Coming in at a close second are times when he needs to leave his city and go some place like Queens.  And then there's third place in his top ten of suckitude.   Asking Tony Stark for help.  
  
The only saving grace today is that Tony is in Gstaad with Pepper, hosting a shareholder meeting or something along those lines so that the only witnesses to the humiliating admission that Matt needs help are JARVIS and Happy Hogan.  "I need a ride to Forest Hills.  Jessica is in trouble."  
  
"You're too late," Happy informs him and Matt's stomach lurches violently.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"The Queens thing is done.  Ended about seven minutes ago," Happy says.  "Everybody's in Arlington now."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Everybody," Happy repeats slowly and distinctly, "is in Arlington."  
  
"If I may interject," JARVIS interjects -- and Matt, for once, is glad of the pushiness and invasiveness of the AI.  "Wiccan performed a disruption and transported Mr. Barnes and the After School Avengers to assist Captain Rogers."  
  
Matt feels like he's missed a few chapters along the way.  "And why does Captain Rogers need assistance?"  
  
"The Taskmaster attacked Captain Rogers and Peter, sir."  There's a dramatic pause.  "Peter has been shot and wounded.   The extent of his injuries are unclear but at the moment, based on available data, they do not appear to be life threatening."  
  
"And Bucky and the kids are with him?" Matt repeats and he knows as he asks just how stupid he sounds.  But really, it makes absolutely no sense at all.  How could they be in Queens and then in Arlington seven minutes later?  He vaguely recalls that Deadpool had some sort of bizarre teleportation disc.  And never mind that he has no idea who this Taskmaster character is. "Did Wiccan teleport them?"  
  
"Unknown, sir.  I am analyzing that data."  
  
Now that Matt thinks about it, he really doesn't know very much at all about Wiccan or that other boy, Hulkling.  Or Johnny Storm, for that matter.  Except what he reads in the newspapers.  For a sixteen year old, Johnny seems rather promiscuous and loutish though to be fair, he's done his share of heroic deeds.  "Can I be teleported to Arlington?"  
  
"My apologies, Mister Murdock, but Sir does not have that technology.  Additionally, although the Quinjet is available, there is nobody qualified to pilot it for you," JARVIS tells him.  
  
Matt is frustrated and it would be nice to take that frustration out on something.  "Fine.  Where's that Bullseye person?"  
  
"Mount Everest, sir.  Would you like his exact coordinates?"  
  
"I...  No."  Should he even ask?  No.  He's a lawyer.  He's smart.  And maybe, if he waits, Happy will ask for him.  
  
"How the hell did Bullseye end up on Mount Everest?" Happy asks.  
  
Thank you, Happy.  
  
"I believe young Master Wiccan is responsible," JARVIS says.  "There was a surge of electro-magnetic energy prior to Bullseye's relocation from Queens to Nepal.  I require further data regarding Master Wiccan's abilities."  
  
"I'll bet you do," Matt mutters.  He's not sure he's comfortable with the idea of Stark and Stark's AI _studying_ Billy Kaplan or any of the other children, for that matter.  
  
"Do you need a ride back to your office?" Happy offers.  
  
Just as Matt is about to ask if Happy can take him to Marci's office, he receives a text message from Foggy telling him that the case has been settled.    
  
"You know," Happy says slowly, "they're broadcasting from Arlington right now."  
  
"They are?"  
  
Happy is apologetic when he tells Matt, "Sound's off.  I can turn on the descriptive audio for you and maybe you'd like a good stiff drink while you listen."  
  
Matt quickly runs through his options.  He can go back to his apartment and possibly miss something important happening while he makes the trek crosstown.  He can try to find Deadpool and hope the man has a teleportation disc and possibly miss something important while he does that.  Or he can have a good stiff drink and sit helplessly while his daughter reveals her presence to the world.  "Happy?  Make mine a double."

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
  
  
  
Five against one isn't fair and Clint is sick and tired of dealing with bullshit odds.  Especially when the odds aren't against _him_.  He knows what these HYDRA guys were thinking.  They figured that just because he doesn't have super powers, they could come up here and kick the crap out of him.  
  
Idiots.  
  
His skills as a sniper are legendary but that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to fight.  And it doesn't mean that he doesn't have as many weapons on him as Barnes usually carries.  Okay, maybe not that many.  But he has enough.  
  
"Aw, c'mon, fellas."  Clint plays up to their expectations and gives them his most put-upon look as he lowers his bow.  "Do we have to do this?"  
  
Of course they do.  
  
And they think rushing him all at once is the way to go.  
  
The squids -- yeah, he calls them that now, thank you very much Steve -- learn very quickly why that's a bad idea.  Sure, Clint takes a couple of punches but he gives them back with interest.  Naturally, that's when they start pulling guns, knives and stun batons.  By that time, Clint has already taken two of the five completely out of the game by breaking a kneecap and doing terrible things to the other squid's wrist before flinging them both off the roof.  And if they broke more bones on the way down, well, that's what they get for underestimating him.  
  
Clint's dealing with the remaining three and when Peter and Natasha swing onto to the rooftop on one of Peter's webs.  It's the clumsiest landing he's ever seen Peter make but then again, the kid's just been shot.  He probably shouldn't be swinging around at all and Clint plans to make sure the kid doesn't do anything else that stupid.  The last thing he needs is Spidey's two dads giving him shit for letting the kid hurt himself worse.  
  
And then, there's Nat and her broken arm.  Sure, she's got some kind of healing factor but he saw the break and he knows she should know better than to leap into the fray.  She should.  But that's never stopped her before.  
  
Peter staggers drunkenly up to the guy that's trying to use his stun baton on Clint and taps him on the shoulder. "'Scuse me, do you know where the restrooms are?"  
  
The squid whirls and Peter dodges the stun baton while webbing the guy in the face.  
  
Clint grabs the baton, shocks the guy with it and watches as he pinwheels backwards off the roof.  
  
Natasha kicks the last of the HYDRA operatives off the roof and he lands on top of the guy Clint just shocked.  
  
"Were those guys HYDRA?" Peter asks, his voice slurred.  "They were wearin' Army uniforms. 'S disgraceful."  
  
"Drugged rounds," Natasha says, her mouth quirking into the barest hint of a smile.    
  
Clint scowls.  Drugged _and_ wounded.  Oh yeah, he's going to get shit unless he can get the kid to sit quietly and take cover while the rest of the team does the heavy lifting.  "You see the wound, Nat?  How bad is it?"  
  
"Not so bad," Nat tells him. "Small caliber and it looks like it bounced off a rib."  
  
"Shhhh!"  Peter flaps his arms at her.  "Ixnay on the ot-shay!"    
  
Natasha looks as amused at Clint's ever seen her. "Also, we're not going to tell Bucky about it."    
  
"Because he'd never notice."  Clint rolls his eyes and grabs the kid's arm to make sure he doesn't fall off the roof.  
  
"Don't you go tellin' him I got shot," Peter warns and it's hard to believe how hangdog he looks with that mask covering his face.  "And don't say I have a concussion from gettin' 'sploded either."  
  
Clint resists the urge to smack his forehead with the heel of his hand -- but just barely.  "And I suppose I shouldn't mention how those clowns we just tossed off the roof weren't part of a HYDRA retrieval team.  Y'know, it'd be nice to go a week without somebody trying to snatch you or kill you."  
  
Peter emits a world weary sigh. "It's been _three_ weeks."  
  
"Oh _forgive_ me for overstating the problem," Clint snarks, hauling the unsteady little hero over to the spot he'd been using as his nest.  "Know what this is?"  
  
"'S your nest, Hawkguy."  And of course, he starts laughing.  
  
Nat's lips twitch.  
  
"I'm gonna teach you how to be a sniper like your old pal, Hawkguy," Clint tells him and he hopes he sounds more patient than he feels.  "This is what we call an 'exposed position' so you need to get down flat on your belly.  Don't want to go and make yourself a target while you're sniping, right?"  He doesn't wait for Peter to answer.  "Go on.  Get down."  
  
It's a sign of just how drugged Peter is because he drops down in an ungainly heap and it takes a couple of tries for him to settle into position.  His little masked face tilts up at Clint, seeking approval.  
  
"Very good," Clint praises him while he sends up a silent prayer that the kid takes a nap until they're ready to get him out of here. "Where's Steve and where's the enemy?"  
  
"They're in'na big bright clump over there."  Peter gestures vaguely with his left hand and then steadies as he points.  
  
Clint peers down to see a bunch of guys who look like nothing so much as brightly colored targets in tacky costumes.  As ridiculous as they seem, the costumed crew can fight and they're not giving Steve a chance to breathe.  
  
Peter picks up Clint's bow and clumsily nocks an arrow.  "Bet I can hit the guy in the yellow outfit.  I mean, seriously.  Yellow.  He looks like Big Bird."  
  
"Don't --" Clint starts but it's too late.  The arrow is airborne.  
  
They all watch as the arrow hits Big Bird in the ass and Steve immediately takes advantage of the distraction to knock the guy unconscious.    
  
"Is it wrong for me to like him more when he's high?" Clint asks Nat.  
  
  
000000000000  
  
  
  
"Looks like we're not in Queens anymore, Toto," Johnny quips.  
  
"That was an old joke in _my_ day," Barnes tells him, his gaze immediately drawn to Steve and the costumed clowns he's fighting.  Focused as he is, he's still able to catch Billy when the kid staggers.  "Ran out of gas, Wiccan?"  
  
"Just need to catch my breath," Billy pants and then adds a respectful, "Sir."  
  
"He over-exerted himself." Teddy scowls and then proceeds to scold Billy.  "You sent Bullseye to Mount Everest before you magicked us here, didn't you?"  
  
"You did what?!" Barnes stares at the boys.  
  
Teddy's expression is stern as he narrows his eyes at his boyfriend.  "Mount Everest.  It's where we keep joking that Billy'll send Kesler one of these days if he doesn't cut it out."  
  
"Not that I'd actually do it," Billy says quickly.  
  
"You did do it," Kate tells him.  "But to Bullseye and not your bully.  And it was _awesome_."  
  
Billy blushes and ducks his head.    
  
Jessica breaks the moment when she announces, "Bucky, I've got intel from Mary Jane and JARVIS."  
  
Barnes supposes the attempt at military jargon is for his benefit and promises himself to teach them the real meaning of the word 'intel'.  "Go ahead."  
  
"Our target is the Taskmaster," she recites, hand touching the comm link in her ear.  "According the SHIELD files, he has something called 'reflexive memory' which means he can learn how you fight and copy you, just by watching.  He also trains people ---"  
  
Kate points. "Like those guys fighting with Steve?"  
  
"-- but mostly he uses those people as, um, cannon fodder," Jessica finishes.  
  
Making choices for himself is hard enough some days and yet coming up with a plan for his squad of After School Avengers is easy.  They have potential.  He just hopes it's not the potential to wreck a national historic site while getting the bad guy.  The fallout from being seen with him is going to be hard enough for these kids to overcome.  "Spider-woman, watch over Wiccan while he recovers.  Torch, you're our eyes in the sky.  Do not engage unless I give the signal.  Hawkeye, I want you picking off the enemy.  Hulkling, you're with me.  And for God's sake, keep the damage to a minimum.  War heroes are buried here."  
  
He's pleased to see the kids sober when he reminds them what Arlington is.  Unlike Steve's team, his isn't going to needlessly make a mess.  Barnes is sure of it.  And he'll rub it in later.  Because...reasons, as the kids say.  
  
Barnes cuts his eyes over to Hulkling.  That little display of shapeshifting earlier and the kid's unbreakable skin are almost enough to make up for the fact that he has no fighting technique whatsoever.  
  
Shapeshifting.  
  
That, Barnes thinks, is exactly how he's going to kick the Taskmaster's ass.  
  
  
  
0000000000000  
  
  
  
  
Steve isn't sure what annoys him more.  The fact that that he's busy dealing with a bunch of colorfully costumed henchmen while the Taskmaster is hunting Peter or the fact that he's dealing with colorfully costumed henchmen at all.  What's even more annoying is that there are a dozen of them, all armed to the teeth.  
  
"Seventy years and I'm still coming to your rescue, Stevie."  Bucky grabs the costumed man that was slashing at Steve with a pair of sai and snaps his neck.  With a wink and a flash of the cocky smile Steve remembers, he starts cutting a swath through the remaining men.  
  
In a less than a minute, there are only six opponents.  
  
That's when the Hulk steps out from behind a tree and growls loudly.  
  
Everyone freezes and one of the Taskmaster's men pisses himself.  
  
And then the six remaining henchmen take off in different directions.  
  
Before Steve can take off after them, Bucky hauls him back by the collar of his dress uniform and barks an order into his comm link.  "ASAs, clean up the mess.  Cap and I are going after the primary target."  
  
The Hulk gives Steve a little finger wave and then turns back into Teddy.  He looks up at Bucky with an uncertain expression.  "Was that okay?"  
  
"That," Bucky tells the boy, "was perfect.  Wasn't it, Stevie?"  
  
Steve nods, watching as Johnny corrals two of the escaping henchmen in a ring of fire and Kate fires a knockout arrow into the center of the ring.  "Nicely done, Hulkling."  
  
"We're not done yet," Bucky says, expression darkening as he scans the area for the Taskmaster.  "And you're a crucial part of that op, kid."  
  
It takes a little longer than Steve wants to admit for him to figure out Bucky's plan but when he does, he can't stop smiling.    
  
The Taskmaster is going down.  
  
Hard.  
  
  
  
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No sooner has Bucky's order come over the comm link than Jessica spots one of the men coming in her direction.  Billy is still pale and tired but he straightens and raises his fists awkwardly.  Jessica grins when she notices that his thumbs are in the right position at least.  
  
"I've got this," she tells Billy.  "You're my backup, okay?"  
  
She doesn't wait for him to answer because her spider sense is warning her of danger and she doesn't think it's because the guy is decked out in some god-awful lavender and blue costume fashion disaster.  Nope, he's got a gun.  
  
Jessica launches herself up and over the guy, spraying liberally with webbing as she goes.  She succeeds in rendering the gun useless and giving the man a face full of web.  
  
"Predictable," Lavender Larry growls, peeling off the webbing.  "That's why my helmet is specially treated."  
  
"Did you predict this?" Jessica asks, kicking him from behind.  Hard.  "I mean, really, just because I'm a kid doesn't mean I'm going to stand around and gloat after I give you a face full of webbing."  She webs him to one of the amphitheater pillars.  " _Now_ I'm going to stand here and gloat."  
  
"Look out!" Billy yells at the same time her spider-sense goes off.  
  
Jessica leaps straight up only to have a heavy metal chain wrap around her ankle.  Her attacker tugs the chain sharply, yanking her down.  She crashes to the grass and barely manages to roll out of the way when the chain comes swinging in her direction again.    
  
Her attacker is wearing a garish turquoise outfit and even though he looks ridiculous, he's not as much of a pushover as Lavender Larry.  "HYDRA'll pay us a bonus if we bring you in."  
  
"HYDRA," Jessica groans, dodging the chain again.  "I hate those guys."  
  
Turquoise doesn't even acknowledge her clever reference to Indiana Jones.  Instead, he swings the chain wide and then lets out a yell when Billy throws himself onto his back, wrapping an arm around Turquoise's neck.  
  
It's all the opening Jessica needs to snatch the chain from Turquoise's grasp.  "The Avengers'll give me a cookie if I kick your ass," she mocks Turquoise.  And then she knocks him unconscious. "Timber!"  
  
Billy eyes the limp form of Turquoise and grins as he produces a chocolate chip cookie out of thin air, handing it to Jessica who's just finished cocooning Turquoise.  "I may not know how to throw a punch, but I know how to do this."  
  
She snaps the cookie in half and gives a piece to Billy.   "You sure do, partner."  
  
He takes his piece of cookie and beams.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
  
  
Teddy loves this plan.  It's a dream come true to be saving the day with Captain America and Bucky Barnes.  Like every kid since 1945, Teddy used to play Captain America with his friends and, in true Mary Sue style, Teddy used to pretend to be the secret weapon that saved the day by doing something truly amazing that Cap and Bucky couldn't.  
  
So here he is, Cap and Bucky's secret weapon.  And he can do something truly amazing that they can't.  A few things, actually.    
  
Those things are the reason Teddy also kind of hates this plan.  
  
Put simply, Teddy is bait.  
  
"Are you sure he can do this, Buck?" Cap asks Bucky for the third time.  
  
Bucky throws a look in Teddy's direction that warns Teddy this is his last chance to speak up or forever hold his peace and go through with the plan.  "Positive."  
  
Teddy preens under the praise.    
  
"It's going to be dangerous," Cap warns them both.  
  
"My skin is kind of, um, unbreakable," Teddy tells him.  
  
Cap eyes him.  "Does that include bullets?"  
  
Teddy swallows.  "I-I think so."  
  
"You think or you know?" Cap demands.  "The last thing I need is to have to tell your parents --"  
  
"Just my mom.  My dad, uh, died before I was born."  The words are barely out of his mouth when he realizes that Cap's dad also died before he was born.   Teddy winces inwardly.  
  
Cap's mouth twists in a grimace and he finishes what he was saying before Teddy interrupted.  "The last thing I need is to tell your mother that I got you killed."  
  
"Then I won't get killed," Teddy shrugs and with that, he shifts into a perfect copy of Peter in his Spidey costume.  
  
"He's wearing the spandex one," Cap says quietly.  
  
Teddy shifts into a perfect copy of the spandex Spidey costume.  
  
Cap looks him up and down, nods his approval and then scoops Teddy into his arms.  "Relax and go as limp as you can, Teddy.  You're supposed to be injured."  
  
Apparently, Teddy's imitation of a wounded Peter is just about perfect because Bucky's jaw clenches and he gets a look in his eyes that promises the Taskmaster a lot of pain.  He reaches out and squeezes Teddy's shoulder as if to reassure himself that Teddy isn't Peter and then runs towards the amphitheater.  Teddy blinks and Bucky is gone.  
  
"Limp," Cap reminds him.  "Don't look for Bucky.  He's watching us.  Keep your eyes on me."  
  
Teddy's head lolls against Cap's chest as he's carried to 'safety'.  
  
He almost feels sorry for the Taskmaster.  
  
Almost.  
  
  
  
  
000000000000000000  
  
  
  
  
As he carries Teddy to 'safety' inside of the amphitheater's chapel, Steve knows he's being watched.  Of course he is.  He has the prize in his arms and the Taskmaster thinks he can battle Steve to a standstill.  
  
"I know it hurts," he tells Teddy.  "Just hang on."  
  
"H-he _shot_ me, Steve," Teddy whines in an almost perfect imitation of Peter and clutches at Steve's arm.  "A-and he wants to turn me over to HYDRA!"  
  
"Nobody's turning you over to HYDRA," Steve soothes the boy while his eyes search the alcoves of the chapel.  It's the perfect place for an ambush.  Or a trap.  "I'd never let that happen."  
  
The attack comes just as he's lowering Teddy to the floor.  
  
Apparently, the Taskmaster studied Natasha because he's using some of her moves.  Steve's _trained_ with Natasha and he knows how to _counter_ those moves.  He also knows enough to expect the knife that the Taskmaster pulls while they're grappling.    
  
Move.  
  
Countermove.  
  
That's how the fight goes, right up until Steve baits the trap.  "Spidey, get to safety.  Now!"  
  
Teddy staggers to his feet in what Steve thinks might be more than a little over-acting on his part.  He moves unsteadily towards one of the alcoves.  
  
Apparently, whatever Teddy is doing is spot on because the Taskmaster actually gloats.  "HYDRA promised that sedative would slow him down.  Then again, they tested it on your old buddy, Bucky Barnes so they must know what they're talking about, huh?"  
  
The sedative is news to Steve.  He'd attributed Peter's unsteady gait to the pain of being shot.  It's a bit of a relief, really, to know that Peter isn't hurting as badly as he could be and that he's being watched over by Natasha and Clint.  Still, the Taskmaster is expecting an angry reaction and Steve doesn't want to disappoint him.  "You sonofabitch!"

 "Kept Bucky nice and docile, they told me," the Taskmaster goads him.  
  
"Yeah?" Bucky says, stepping out from the shadows.  "Wanna see how docile I am now, asshole?"  He raises his gloved left hand and crooks a finger at the Taskmaster.  "C'mere and give us a kiss."  
  
The Taskmaster hesitates.  Of course he does.  He's not stupid.  
  
Steve raises his hands and backs away.  "He's all yours, Buck."  
  
Grinning, Bucky lunges for the Taskmaster who dodges easily and uses Bucky's momentum to send him flying into one of the marble pillars.  The pillar cracks with the impact.  Bucky shakes his head to clear it, rolls his shoulders and then advances on the Taskmaster again.  
  
The pair exchange blows and it doesn't take long before the Taskmaster drives Bucky back, cornering him.  
  
"I thought the Winter Soldier was supposed to be a big deal," the Taskmaster spits, stabbing 'Bucky' viciously.  
  
The knife bounces off of Teddy's unbreakable skin.  
  
"What the he --?"  
  
The Taskmaster never gets to finish his sentence because the real Bucky grabs him and throws him across the chapel.  Hard.  Since the Taskmaster isn't a super soldier and doesn't have Teddy's unbreakable hide, he gets the wind knocked out of him but does no damage to the pillar he crashes into.  
  
Bucky growls something in Russian and advances slowly enough to give the Taskmaster time to recover and pull the sword he has sheathed on his back.  The Taskmaster raises his pale imitation of Steve's shield --  
  
But he doesn't do it fast enough to block the shuriken that Bucky throws at him.  The throwing stars lodge in the Taskmaster's deltoids and ulnar nerves.  
  
The sword and the shield clatter to the floor.  
  
Another casual flick of Bucky's wrists sends more shuriken to do damage to the Taskmaster's legs and the mercenary collapses.  
  
"You hurt Spider-man."  Bucky grabs the Taskmaster by the back of the neck, hauling him up and throwing him across the chapel again.  "And I'm going to tear you to pieces for that."  
  
The Taskmaster coughs wetly and pulls out a grenade.  
  
Bucky shoots him before he can pull the pin.    
  
There's a moment where Steve is positive that Bucky killed the man and then he sees the location of the wound.  Stomach.  Not fatal, as long as they get him to a hospital.    
  
"No sedative on my rounds," Bucky says, holstering his gun.  "And the bad news, pal, is you're going to live.  How much time do you think you're gonna do for trying to kill the President?"  
  
The Taskmaster doesn't answer.  He's unconscious.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, at the conclusion of yet another chapter in the life of Peter Parker and friends. I can't thank all of you enough for sticking around, reading, kudo-ing, commenting and enjoying yourselves. I also can't believe that you're not sick of me yet after eight of these stories!
> 
> This story is lovingly dedicated to all who served.

Chapter 11  
  
  
  
  
If Barnes thought he might calm down when he saw Petey, he was wrong.  Clint is practically holding the kid upright as he leads him across the grass towards Barnes and for some inexplicable reason, Natasha is smirking.  Barnes glares at her but it has no effect whatsoever.  Her smirk stays as firmly in place as her sling made out of Petey's web.  
  
Petey wobbles unsteadily as Clint positions him in front of Barnes.  "Oh, hey.  Did you come to hear my speech?"    
  
"Did I..." Barnes trails off, gaze ticking over to Clint who isn't bothering to hide his own smirk now.  As if Petey being drugged is even remotely funny.  
  
"That Assmaster guy blew up the stage," Petey goes on and he's _pouting_.  "Nobody's gonna get to hear it now.  An' it was a good one, too."  
  
Barnes looks over at Stevie.  "Were you two on the stage when it blew?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Petey says waving a hand dismissively and listing dangerously to his left before Clint steadies him.  "We're fine.  No concussions here."  
  
Even Steve is starting to smirk.  
  
"And he didn't get shot, either," Natasha deadpans.  
  
Peter almost falls over when he turns around to shake a finger at her.  "Ixnay!"  He moves with the exaggerated care of the extremely drunk or stoned when he faces Barnes again.  "See?  Not shot!  'M fine."  
  
Barnes stares pointedly at the web bandage on Petey's right side.  "So that's just for decoration, huh?"  
  
"'S just a scratch," Petey lies.  
  
This time, Barnes does roll his eyes because Petey sounds _exactly_ like another young punk he sort of remembers.  Just as he's about to scold Petey, he hears sirens approaching in the distance.  He also thinks he sees a few reporters sneaking around.  They're going to need to make a hasty retreat, Wiccan-style, before anyone decides that arresting the Winter Soldier seems like a good idea.  Barnes catches Steve's eye and they agree silently on that course of action because some things never change.  "You ready to go home, kiddo?"  
  
"Should never have left home," Peter complains.  "It's been one rotten thing after another since I got here an' I coulda been havin' cake with you instead.  You got the cake, right?"  
  
"I got the cake," Barnes assures him.  "And I saved you a slice."  
  
"See?  That's why you get hugs."  Petey practically crashes into Barnes' chest as he wraps his arms around him.  "You deserve _all_ the hugs.  All the time.  Seventy years' worth of hugs."  He peers up at Barnes.  "Not just for the cake, I mean.  Hugs because you're all kinds of awesome and it's your first ever Veterans Day.  You've always been a hero an' it's like everybody forgot that cuz of the Winter Soldier thingie.  'S not fair.  Shoulda been special, your first Veterans Day.  Cake.  Hugs.  And Harry Potter."  
  
"Who's Harry Potter?" Steve asks, confused.  
  
"Harry Potter," Barnes says slowly as he hugs Petey and rests his chin atop the boy's masked head, "is the Boy Who Lived.  Where ya been, Stevie?  Under a rock?"  
  
  
00000000000000000  
  
  
  
It's impossible for anyone to sneak up on Matt.  
  
Correction.  It is almost impossible for anyone to sneak up on Matt.  
  
Natasha, of course, accomplishes the impossible.    
  
But that's only because Matt is suffering from a hangover the likes of which he hasn't had since he and Foggy celebrated passing the bar exam.  He can barely lift his head from the sofa.  
  
"Happy wasn't kidding," Natasha says, crouching down next to him.  "You really don't cope well with being left behind, Dad Devil."  
  
Facts in evidence.  No need to dispute.  Matt makes a non-committal grunt.  
  
"I brought the cure."  
  
"I thought you don't get hangovers."  
  
Natasha chuckles softly.  "I don't.  This is Tony's cure."  
  
"French fries."  It takes some effort but Matt manages to get himself upright.  "You broke into my apartment to bring me French fries."  
  
The paper bag rustles as she helps herself to one of the fries she brought for him.  "Nope.  I broke into your apartment to tell you to thank Peter."  
  
Matt takes the bag of fries from her and inhales the greasy scent.  Amazingly, it breaks through the fog in his head but he still has no idea what this conversation is about.  "Thank him for what?"  
  
"For asking me out."  Natasha drops down onto the sofa beside him.  
  
"Peter?  Asked you out?"  Could he be hallucinating?  Could he have had that much to drink?  Maybe Happy slipped some of Thor's Asgardian liquor -- no.  He would have noticed it.  "You're going out with Peter?"  
  
"Peter asked me out," Nat says slowly, enunciating each word, " _for_ you, because you're too chicken to do it yourself."  
  
There are two things Matt can do.  He can strangle Peter or he can eat more French fries.  Since the fries are here and Peter isn't, Matt eats the fries.  
  
Natasha's fingers brush Matt's as she helps herself to some more of his fries.  "In Peter's defense, he was high."  
  
"He was high?" Matt echoes.  
  
"The Taskmaster shot him with drugged rounds."  
  
"Drugged rounds?"  He can't bring himself to ask what kind of drugs work on someone with Peter's metabolism.  It's irrelevant anyway, Matt decides.    
  
"Wow, you're really slow when you're hung over," Natasha comments, rising to her feet.  She plants a chaste kiss on Matt's forehead.  "In case you're wondering, I said yes.  So when you manage to summon up the nerve to ask me yourself, you won't have to worry about being turned down."  
  
With that, she lets herself out of his apartment.  
  
Matt eats another French fry and wonders what the hell just happened.  
  
  
  
  
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Peter has the mother of all headaches.  
  
No.  
  
He has the mother of all headaches and his side is throbbing.  
  
And then he remembers.  The stupid Taskmaster _shot_ him.    
  
But that's all he remembers.  
  
"You awake, little man?" Bucky asks softly.  As if he needs to ask.  Bucky has enhanced senses and he heard Peter's breathing change from the steady sound of sleep to his current unhappy state.  He'd have heard it even if he weren't sitting beside Peter on the bed.  
  
"Where'm I?"  
  
"Your room at the Tower."  Bucky gently touches Peter's forehead as if he's checking for a fever.  "Aunt May's on her way back from Atlantic City and before you whine about me telling her you got shot, it was on TV."  
  
"It was?"  Peter tries to sit up but Bucky holds him down, using an extra pillow to raise him slightly.  He squints and tries to remember.  "Were you there?"  
  
Bucky doesn't answer.  Instead, he guides a bottle of water to Peter's mouth and helps him drink.  "Slowly."  
  
"You were there," Peter says after swallowing some water.  "Why were you there?  You were supposed to be home, eating cake and having a Harry Potter marathon with MJ and the gang."  
  
"I would have been," Bucky says, mouth curving into a smile, "but _somebody_ got himself shot."  
  
"And _somebody_ had to come to the rescue," Steve adds.  He's sitting on the end of Peter's bed and there's a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in his lap.  "Actually, your entire team showed up.  I take it you don't recall any of it?"  
  
Peter squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head.  "No.  How badly was I hurt?"  
  
Bucky ruffles Peter's hair.  "It was a .22 slug and it bounced off your rib, so as far as being shot goes, you got off lucky.  You're going to hurt for a few days but that's a lot better than the month it'd take for anybody else.  And you're not going to have a scar.  The doc wants you to stay in bed for the next day or so and get your rest so I'm going to be keepin' an eye on you."  
  
"We can watch those Harry Potter movies you never told me about," Steve says.  
  
"How could you have neglected Stevie's education about modern literature like that?" Bucky teases.    
  
Steve eyes Peter and grins.  "Makes me wonder what else he didn't tell me about."  
  
Before Peter can even attempt to make an excuse for neglecting Steve's education in all things Potter, Clint pokes his head into the room.  He's smirking and carrying a large, gaily wrapped package that he hands to Peter.  "Got you a little get well present."  
  
Peter tears open the wrapping, revealing a bow and a quiver of arrows.  "Um... thanks?"  
  
"We start practicing next week," Clint tells him.  "I'm not sure if that was a lucky shot or not --"  
  
"Wait.  What?"  
  
Even Steve and Bucky look confused.  
  
Clint's smirk increases in intensity.  "Peter here was the one who nailed that guy in the ass, Steve.  From _my_ sniper's nest."  
  
"I didn't," Peter protests.  
  
"You did.  Nat'll back me up.  You were high as a kite and I have no idea how you made the shot because your grip was lousy but you did it."  Clint pats Peter on the head and his smirk morphs into an evil grin.  "That was _after_ you asked Nat out."  
  
Peter's mouth drops open in horror.  "N-no!  No way!  That's --"  
  
"The truth.  You did it on Murdock's behalf, which is probably why you still have your tongue."  
  
"Oh my God," Peter groans.  "I was drugged!?"  
  
"Very," Clint tells him.  "It was cute as hell.  And you being cute and drugged is trending all over social media."  
  
"It's what?" Peter echoes hollowly.  
  
Bucky's eyes narrow at Clint.  "What do you mean, it's trending?"  
  
"CNN has video of Peter saving the President and some shutterbug took a picture you hugging him. The Internet is loving it.  Especially the Winter Soldier snuggles.  In fact," Clint's grin turns positively wicked, "that's the hashtag.  If you get bored while you're recuperating, Peter, have JARVIS search for it."  He chuckles and turns to leave.  "Nat says she'll send you the better fan art, Steve."  
  
"Well," Steve says, breaking the silence, "I did say the media would move on from the 'Captain America and Bucky' thing."  
  
Bucky's mouth twists.  "Winter Soldier snuggles?"  
  
"Fan art," Steve frowns.  
  
"I shot a guy with an arrow?" Peter asks.  "Really?"  
  
"You," Bucky tells Peter firmly, "are never leaving the house again."  
  
"Especially on a holiday," Steve adds.  
  
"Snuggles?"  
  
  
  
  
  
The end...for now  
  
  



End file.
